The family ties
by criticat
Summary: A youkai and a miko. Such a pair would be unable to produce offspring. Or so they all thought until the minute amber-eyed girl was born.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The small child bit her bottom lip, concentrating on not making too much noise as she crept towards the slightly open western-style door, clutching her teddy bear tightly to her nighty-clad chest. There were several creaky boards that she had to manoeuvre around to do so, skill and knowledge of the territory making it quite easy. Under different circumstances, she was an obedient child and thus knew that eavesdropping was naughty and should be refrained from, even more so now that it was way past her bedtime, but she couldn't help herself.

She could just about understand what the adults were talking about, hopefully undetected. The tiny girl moved a little closer and squinted at the bright light that flooded into the hallway which made her momentarily blind. Letting her amber eyes adjust, she was pleased at being granted a view of the people inside the room. There were three of them: her parents and a man with long silver hair which was somehow familiar to her although she couldn't quite recall where from. Perhaps he was daddy's friend from work?

She liked the way his hair shone with every graceful movement, his clothes pristine and features aristocratic. Was it possible that he was a fairy? Or a king? Or a fairy king!

"No!" The little girl's train of thoughts was broken unexpectedly as she heard her mother shout angrily at something the man with the pretty hair said. The beautiful woman turned away from him and sobbed into her father's shoulder as he rubbed soothing circles on her back, whispering something into the weeping woman's ear. The child winced at the sight of her mummy's shaking form and was about to run into the room and comfort her mother. The minute girl stopped in her tracks when she heard her father's otherwise powerful and stable voice waver. She didn't like it in the least. Her daddy never sounded this lost and unsure before.

"Would you rather see her dead?" The golden-eyed girl saw her mother gasp and turn her face towards the man sitting opposite her.

"Is this a possibility?"

He shifted in his seat but didn't reply for some time, as if trying to find a way to word what he was about to say, the distaste for the news he was about to deliver not concealed.

"Most likely. She is far too... precious for a peaceful existence; we would be deluded to think that it could be so. Not only is she a child who by the order of birth is the protector of the renowned Shikon No Tama, but a child born from a miko and a youki, whose nature has not been determined even by the Elders, who deem it impossible for a pair such as yours to produce offspring. She is neither demon like her father and didn't display spiritual powers like her mother, yet there is hidden strength; nor is she a hanyou. Did you really think that no one would be interested in such a... concept?"

He spoke calmly and eloquently, but his voice filled the little child with dread. Was he talking about her? It sounded like it for sure. She didn't like the cold man anymore, even though his hair was beautiful. How did he manage to grow it so long anyway?

The girl was torn from her thoughts as she heard another sob come from her distressed mother. The woman was now holding one of her child's dolls in her hands, stocking the spaghetti-like blonde hair absentmindedly as she broke away from her husband's embrace.

"How long have we got with her?" She whispered, not wanting to lose herself to her grief, not letting it to sink in until what she dreaded would happen.

"Until tomorrow morning. I understand that this is sudden, but with the recent occurrences and instability, I am afraid that this is the best I can do."

His voice suddenly softened as he stood up, his head inclining slightly towards the door.

"I am sorry Midoriko. I do wish that there was another way."

With that he ended the conversation as he stood up and made his way out of the room, being careful not to hit the one standing behind the door as he opened it. He heard a slight squeal to his right as he walked out into the narrow hallway. His golden eyes met bronze orbs which were so like his and yet different, shining with defiance and curiosity.

'Her attitude is every bit inu.' He smirked at that. She was a warrior at heart.

She held his gaze, her anguish shown only by her clutching the teddy bear with more force than necessary, making its button eyes pop out as if it was gawking. He smiled at the child and ruffled her hair, feeling Midoriko approach, her scent heavy with salt.

"Arigato, Taisho-sama. She will be ready by tomorrow, as agreed".

The two adults stood in silence for some time, air grave with their tension before Taisho-sama nodded and crouched in front of the amber-eyed girl, brushing a strand of her wild hair behind her ear, gracing her with a rare sincere smile.

"Good night Kagome."

Kagome barely registered that she was spoken too as she was losing her battle with exhaustion. With trembling hands, Midoriko picked up her child and took the sleepy girl to her room, for what was to be the last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Although tired, Kagome lay awake for a long time, until finally deciding to confront her mummy and daddy. The strange man had frightened her even if she did like him initially, innately feeling that he meant her no harm. She was sure now that he was speaking about her. The tiny girl slid her dainty feet from underneath her checked Barbie covers and padded barefoot to her parents room, the cool wood floor feeling nice on her feet. She didn't like wearing slippers much, even if mummy insisted that she would catch a cold like that.

Kagome made her way down the corridor tracing the familiar patterns of the wallpaper with her fingers. She saw the light from her parent's room split the darkness of the corridor; clearly she wasn't the only one who was up past bedtime. She was glad that they were awake and wouldn't be mad at her for staying up so late, after all they were too and telling her off now would make them hy-poc-rites. Kagome was rather glad that she didn't forget the word, it was an _adult_ word.

She walked into the room to find her mother fast asleep and her father gently stroking the woman's brown hair, whilst staring off into the distance. Kagome smiled and ran towards her daddy, throwing her slight form onto the bed, not worrying about the damage she might deal to his person at the slightest.

Daddies must be tough.

Her father's eyes slowly turned towards her, as if only just noticing her presence in the room, which was impossible with his enhanced youkai senses. The proud inu lifted his hand and wrapped it around the petite girl, pressing his head into her hair and inhaling deeply, trying to memorise the scent of his pup.

"Kagome" he whispered, not wanting to wake his mate "were you a good girl today?"

Kagome giggled softly and flung herself onto his neck.

"Yes daddy, I always am!" she hit him playfully for possibly assuming otherwise "I played with a girl named Souki and her brother Jinta today. We made sandy pies and tried to feed them to a dog, but it only sniffed them and wagged its tail. Jinta said that they looked tasty though and that dogs just don't know what is good for them. I sprayed him a little from my water bottle after we played tag for that." She huffed in annoyance as her forgotten anger at the silly boy surfaced once again. Boys are dummies for sure.

Her father smiled with the corners of his mouth and inhaled her clean scent once again; enjoying the peace it granted him. It almost made him forget that they were to part in several hours. His handsome features hardened at that, strings of red running through his golden eyes. He blinked and made himself focus on Kagome's chatter instead. It would not do for her to see him lose control, no matter what the situation.

Kagome glanced up to her father, finally noticing that he wasn't paying close attention to her words. Many ladies said that he was gorgeous, but he didn't acknowledge them at all as he loved her mummy with all his heart. She loved hearing the story of how him and mummy met and grew fond of each other and then fallen in love. It sounded like a fairytale to her. Him-the knight in shining armour with beautiful jet black hair and speckled amber eyes and her – soft waves of light brown hair framing the aquamarine eyes that changed their colour from light to midnight blue, depicting her mood.

On the day they met, her father joked; those eyes could have bore holes in his head. He was unwise enough to call her 'ungrateful' for screaming at him after he pulled her out of her wrecked car. How could he have known after all that she was practising for a movie scene? Now, six years after they got married, he loved her just as much if not more. But at this moment, on this day, he almost wished that he had never met Midoriko, for the pain he was experiencing was simply unbearable. He had to stay strong for his girls though, his mate and pup requiring his protection today more than ever before.

He smiled at Kagome and patted her head.

"Kagome. I want to you know that I and your mother love you. We will always love you, no matter what will happen. No matter where you will be, we will always be with you."

With that, he gave her a small medallion on an intricate chain. She tilted it to see soft hues shimmer in complicated patterns, taking her breath away for never before she was allowed to hold something so fragile and significant. She felt around the edge and saw that it could be opened. Inside, there was a small photograph. She remembered when it was taken; it was several months ago now, at a fair. Her mother was smiling radiantly at the camera and daddy was smirking slightly, clearly proud of his company. Kagome was sitting on their shoulders with a giant heart-shaped lolly in her right hand. It was a fun day, although she was sick from going on the big ride.

He took the medallion out of her hands and slid the chain over her unruly raven locks, admiring the way it looked against her pale skin. Kagome smiled and lay down on his lap, her head resting against her mother's cheek. She smiled contently and closed her eyes, whilst gripping her father's hand firmly.

'Quite strong for a girl' he felt himself swell with pride at that. She would take after him.

"Good night daddy. I love you."

He smiled sadly and squeezed her hand, before reclining his head against one of the upright pillows. His strength may be required tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome awoke to find that she was alone in the room. She rubbed her eyes harshly before jumping out of the bed, her legs getting tangled in her nighty as she balanced herself unsteadily. She yawned and stretched before walking out of the room, only to walk into her flowery fairy suitcase. She rubbed her nose slightly, trying to understand why it was out of its usual place in the closet and in the corridor when it dawned on her, the cold man said something about her leaving in the morning.

'Today'

Kagome sprinted down the corridor, her heart beating wildly, her ruffled hair flying in all directions. She glanced inside her room only to confirm her suspicions, the stripped bed and empty closets seeming so foreign without her stuff. She backed out of it and closed the door, trying to pull herself together as much as she felt it was possible at the moment.

Upon hearing voices downstairs, Kagome grew even more frightened. She made her way quickly down the winding staircase, wanting to know and dreading to find out the identity of the one conversing with her parents.

It was that man again.

She could see him better now than the night before. With the sun shining though the opened windows and his hair swaying in the gentle breeze, he looked almost like the king from her picture books. As his eyes fell on her dishevelled form, they warmed slightly. He extended his arm towards Kagome, beckoning her to come closer. Although he knew perfectly well who she was, proper introductions were in order.

"What is your name young one?" He asked in a deep baritone.

She hesitated at first but, not wanting to appear impolite, eventually laid her miniature hand into his smooth hand. She shook it solemnly, remembering what she was taught about manners.

"Kagome Higurashi. I am five. I like your hair".

She blushed and withdrew her hand as he smirked at that comment, his grin almost mirroring the one that was dear to her heart - her father's. Kagome felt someone place a hand on her shoulder and felt herself being tugged away gently. She smelled her mother's perfume and relaxed, letting mummy do whatever she thought was necessary.

One hour later, she was bathed, dressed and found herself again standing in front of the extraordinary man, this time with her suitcases and bags being loaded into an expensive-looking silver car. Her father and the man were speaking inaudibly to each other, and as much as she strained to hear them, she knew that her human senses weren't advanced enough for that, especially as much of the conversation was in what to her seemed like snarls and grunts.

Kagome felt a raindrop fall on her shoulder and looked up, wondering how a cloud could have got inside the house, to see another tear slide down her mother's pale cheek. Kagome hugged her mummy's waist tightly, burrowing as deeply as she could. It seemed like such a good hiding place not so long ago.

"It is going to be ok mummy. I am going to be a good girl and behave myself. We will see each other soon, don't you worry. It's like that time I was visiting my auntie. I was scared that you would never come back for me and you did. It will be just like that."

Midoriko smiled at that, straining to make it look genuine, and kneeled beside her child, sliding her arms around her daughter's minute form.

"I love you Kaggie-bear."

With that she led her to the car. As Midoriko strapped her into a child seat, Kagome felt that something was wrong. It wasn't going to be the way it was before.

As her parents kissed her for the last time and shut the door behind her, Kagome turned in her seat, watching the two until she could no longer see them, the trees and the speed of the accelerating car making it even more difficult. She sighed and turned around to face the back of the driver's seat, occupied with the unordinary man. Kagome wondered what she is to call him now that they are going to spend some time with each other, even if she wasn't sure how long it will be for. She introduced herself, but he had never said his name. The girl hesitated for a little longer, before finally finding the courage to speak.

'Um.. what should I call you?'

He considered her question for some time before finally replying.

'It is up to you, little one. Until you decide, you may call me Taisho-sama.'

She nodded seriously and clasped her loyal teddy bear even tighter than before, feeling somewhat better about the ordeal.


	4. Chapter 4

She dozed off an hour later, tired from watching the scenery and bored from the lack of conversation or any other form of entertainment. Under different circumstances, she would have been happy to amuse herself by conversing with Momo the bear, who was wonderful company really. However, Taisho-sama didn't appear to be a man to tolerate teddy bear picnics on the back seat of his superbly expensive car, so she decided against playing. The steady and smooth ride and the gentle lull of the classical music eventually calmed her enough for the child to relax and fall asleep.

As they slowed down to a halt, she felt herself being taken out of the car and carried inside the house. There was no telling how far she was from her house now, but the air felt much cooler, meaning it was nearly evening.

Kagome was awake but dared not open her eyes, for the fear that her dream may become reality. Surely it was her father carrying her at this moment and not the indifferent man that she saw the other night? It was her mother that was about to greet her and not the hanyou and youkai whose auras she sensed involuntarily? It was the murmurs of her parents that she could hear and not the chilling but soft growls that surrounded her?

She had to find out. It was silly to postpone the inevitable any longer.

Slowly, Kagome opened her eyes. She was greeted with a pair of gold eyes that were so much like Taisho-Sama's and hers. However there was no gentleness in these orbs. One boy looked at her with something akin to cold hatred when the other seemed confused but equally angry.

"Dad, who is this?" asked the younger, rage evident in his voice. He looked a little older than Kagome and was clearly a hanyou. She saw his ears twitch on the top of his head and if it wasn't for the obvious disdain that he looked at her with, she would have begged him to let her rub those pretty furry triangles.

"Isn't it obvious, half-breed?" the older brother replied spitefully "It seems that our father's love of humans didn't end with your ningen mother." He sneered in distaste at the little girl, making her flinch in fright "If it wasn't for her scent I would have assumed that you sired another hanyou.. father."

The younger brother growled loudly at that and was about to swipe at the arrogant teenager at his side when Taisho-sama effortlessly caught his hand, whilst lowering Kagome to the floor.

"Cease this useless arguing this instant, both of you. She had enough happen to her without you two making it worse" He looked upon them, daring to challenge his authority, letting the hold on his aura slip in the slightest to display his dominant youki. Neither replied, but turned their gazes back to the petite human in front of them, quiet but not convinced.

"Kagome, these are my sons, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. As of today, they are your brothers."

Kagome sat in her new room wondering whether it was time for dinner yet. She couldn't stomach eating the breakfast she was offered this morning, meaning she hasn't eaten at all today. Earlier, when Taisho-sama led her to what he said was now her 'domain', she didn't have the courage to speak up and ask for something which was clearly a mistake.

Kagome has been alone in this room for several hours and it grew dark, even with the moonlight spilling into the room through the windows. She dared not come out and face the wrath of the Taisho siblings, one of them stomping up and down the corridor rather audibly. She lay back on the giant plush bed and surveyed the room that she was given. It was richly decorated in blue hues, accentuated by creamy white carpet and curtains, ready to be ruined by grubby fingers and messy toys. It was so pristine, in fact, that one would have thought that it was fit for a prince. She didn't feel like it was right for her at all.

Kagome sighed and wished that she was back in her cosy familiar room, under her own Barbie covers, with her mummy and daddy tucking her in and reading to her.

She looked at Momo bear, the toy's glinting button eyes gazing into hers expectantly.

"You are hungry too, huh?"

Momo nodded in silent agreement. Kagome tutted and picked him up to rest on her chest.

"Well you just have to wait then. Daddy said it is rude to ask for stuff when we are visiting."

Two hours later the pain in her tummy got so bad that she decided to take her chances and wonder the mansion. The door opened soundlessly, offering her a view of a long barely lit corridor. Kagome hugged her teddy bear to her slight form and pressed her lips together, refusing to feel afraid in the eerie and vast house. Daddy always said she must be strong and she will prove that she is.

Her right hand sliding along the smooth polish of the walls, Kagome gradually made her way through the labyrinth of hallways towards where she thought the stairs should be as far as she could remember from earlier today. As she was walking, Kagome noticed that there were some paintings up on the walls and paused to look at them. Her mummy loved art and there were numerous pieces on display around their house, but these seemed to be much older and mysterious.

One in particular caught her attention. It was a portrait of a young man who resembled Taisho-sama, and yet was very different. There was a crescent moon on his forehead, with twin magenta stripes running across his cheeks. He was dressed in a strange outfit with what looked like armour over it, a single sword strapped to his side. His long silver mane cascaded down his back, making his shining golden eyes stand out even more, but it was then were the image lost its appeal to her, for the orbs had nothing but arrogance in them.

She felt someone's presence behind her and turned her head slightly to see Taisho-sama standing next to her, too admiring the painting before him.

They stood together in silence, until a loud grumble rippled the still air. Kagome felt her face heat up as she the vibrations inside her stomach built up to make another insistent noise.

"Gomen Taisho-sama"

He smiled with the corners of his mouth and took her hand, leading her to the kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5

"Come on you chicken! I ain't got all day you know."

Inuysha stood with his hands crossed at the bottom of the staircase, enjoying the obvious fear radiating of the girl in waves. Kagome grimaced at the name and swung her leg, attempting to climb on the top of the railing, fully intending to go through with it. It was no easy feat for her, pulling herself up being the hardest part.

"Move the cushions then! They are too close; I will go right over them."

He glanced at the assortment of cushions on the floor just behind him, all stolen from numerous rooms in the house, and shrugged his shoulders, brushing her enquiry off as something to postpone the bet they made. His judgement was better than hers anyway.

"They are fine where they are. Just hurry up already! I did this thousands of times."

Seeing the corners of her eyes crease slightly in hesitation and fear he smiled evilly. Inuyasha folded his hands and started making clucking noises, aggravating the proud little girl even further than before.

"Stop it Inuyasha! You are a meanie!"

He snorted at that, his grin becoming wider than before to display the sharp fangs.

"Better a 'meanie' than a chicken! It's all cos you are a human ya know. Or _maybe_ its cos you are a whiny little girl!" He laughed wholeheartedly, making the girl work faster than before.

That was _it_! Kagome felt her blood boil and willed her hands to let go. Her descent was much faster than she thought it would be and ended as quickly as it started with her flying up into the air.

Inuyasha gasped as he saw that she was clearly going past the pile on the floor, the impact with the marble of the floor being inevitable. Innately he threw himself into the air and lunged for her, catching the minute girl before she reached the surface of the floor. They landed heavily, Kagome shaking slightly before breaking into a hesitant yet genuine smile.

"You saved me Inuyasha!"

He blushed as she hugged him tightly, allowing her to do so for a moment and then moving the girl off himself and standing up, brushing invisible specks of dust of his red shirt.

"Keh. Be grateful that I did, or you'd be a pretty little splat on the floor by now."

He winced mentally as the words left his mouth. She was going to start crying now, wasn't she? In his experience, girls always did just that. However, what did happen he did not expect. Kagome sighed and reached for his cheek, planting a light kiss on it as a token of her gratitude.

"Thank you Inuyasha. I will protect you too."

She added seriously before skipping away in the direction of the kitchen. Inuyasha followed reluctantly, his blush staining most of his face.

Kagome already had the ice cream out of the fridge and was scooping it into two bowls when he came into the kitchen. Inuyasha sat on the stool and watched as she mounted a portion five times the size of hers into his bowl, before moving it towards him.

"Do you want sprinkles? Daddy and I just love them. We always made 'sprinkle salad' on Sundays, its very crunchy you know, but then one time mum caught us and said.."

"What happened to your parents?"

Inuyasha blurted out under his breath, the lack of knowledge grating on him for some time now. At first she didn't reply, seemingly ignoring him as she mixed her vanilla ice cream, watching as the colours of the sprinkles merged together in the gloop she created. He was about to repeat the question when she put her spoon down and spoke.

"I don't know. Taisho-sama spoke to them about something and then he took me here. I.. don't know."

She felt her eyes burn with unshed tears but willed them to go away. She just proved to Inuyasha that she wasn't a weak little human and there was no way she would embarrass herself like this in front of him. They continued to eat their ice cream in silence, Inuyasha thinking about his own mother.

'Maybe having her round will not be all that bad' he thought as he watched the raven haired girl, her eyes uniquely gold for a human, until his train of thoughts was broken as they heard a loud screech fill the mansion.

"What is this.. No! Not the beautiful handmade cushions! This one was made before the.. AND WHAT IS THIS! IT IS RIPPED! MASTER TAISHO! THOSE CHILDREN RUINED ANOTHER PRICELESS IRREPLACEABLE ITEM!"

Kagome giggled as Inuyasha grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the source of the commotion. They made a hasty retreat to their rooms just as Jaken barged into the kitchen, thinking of the many ways he could torture the insolent creatures that were the bane of his existence if only his master would allow him to.


	6. Chapter 6

"I said no Kagome! And don't you.. no don't you DARE make that face, you hear me?"

Kagome pouted and let a single tear slide over her cheek as her full lips trembled.

"But Inuyasha you promised!" Hook.

"Mummy and daddy used to take me every year and Taisho-sama is away today" Line.

"Besides, who will protect me? Think of the meanies out there tonight, attacking girls for their candy." Sinker.

Inuyasha massaged his temples with the tips of his fingers, mindful of his claws, still pretending to consider letting her go alone. He had to admit, however, that she was right. He _did_ accidentally promise to take her last week. He was watching Power Rangers and she crept up on him with her babbling, choosing the time to ask him well. He would promise just about anything for her to go away. That and the fact that she indeed needed his protection made him move towards his room and start getting dressed. Ten minutes later, he was ready to embarrass himself by leading a kid around whilst she trick-o-treated. Joy.

Kagome straightened out one of her antenna's and brushed invisible specks of dust that she insisted where there of her bumblebee costume. It was chosen for her by Jaken, who had some strange belief that 'silly humans', as he preferred to call them, would be frightened by such large insect and give all their sweets not to face the bee's wrath, making Inuyasha think that he must have had some scarring incident to believe so. The effect was opposite, however, as Kagome looked so sweet in her outfit that she was even photographed by tourists and passer-by's. She ignored them completely, laughing and running around, making sure that she collected as many sweets as possible.

"Right, we've been around 20 houses now and your bag is about to explode with sweets. NOW can we go home?"

Kagome scrutinised the contents of her bag and nodded, satisfied with her loot for tonight.

"Yep. I have enough for everyone here."

Inuyasha snorted at that. She clearly was delusional to think that Jaken or Sesshomaru would eat sweets. He didn't mind taking Sesshomaru's portion. What hardships he must endure for his brother.

Kagome took out two lollies and offered one to him. She sucked on hers greedily, making Inuyasha roll his eyes as he opened his own. They walked down now nearly empty streets when suddenly Inuyasha stopped and sniffed the air, concern marring his features as he grabbed her hand, making her wince at the strength he put into the grip.

"Kagome. Let's walk faster."

Kagome frowned and wondered, why he would stop if he wanted to go faster when the girl finally heard someone approaching them. It was a gang of boys, all a little older than Inuyasha, but clearly human which made her exhale the breath she was holding in relief. Kagome knew for sure that he was much stronger than them, him telling her so every day making her believe the notion. She felt a protective arm around her shoulders as he made her turn around and start walking away.

"Don't look at them" he whispered. He didn't stop walking when one of the boys called for them, until they circled around the pair, blocking their way.

"Move." Inuyasha said to the leader, his tone quiet but dangerous.

The boys laughed and tightened the circle. The teenager in front of them, with a tooth missing, spoke first, clearly being the leader of the gang.

"What's wrong doggy boy? Didn't you hear that sharing is caring? All we want is your sweets. And.. possibly beat the crap out of you for not stopping sooner."

As the vile child moved closer, Inuyasha stepped in front of Kagome, blocking her from everybody's sight.

"Ooooh look at you! Protecting your GIRLFRIEND?"

He laughed malisciously, other boys copying his tone.

Inuyasha felt his blood boil as the control he had over himself slowly started to slip. Not only they wanted to beat him up, they were also going to harm Kagome. The scent of salt and fear as well as the sound of her pained cry pushed him over the edge, as his eyes bled red. With inhuman speed, Inuyasha spun around and punched the boy who grabbed Kagome's shoulder, making the fifteen year old fly into the nearby wall with a thump. Other's were temporarily stunned, before they too started to attack the hanyou boy from all sides. All Kagome could do was watch in fear as Inuyasha fought against all of them at once. He was stronger and faster, but there were so many of them..

She screamed as she felt a hand on her wrist and saw one of the boys trying to pull her away from the rest. As soon as the sound reached his ears, Inuyasha slashed at the offenders arms, making the tall boy let go with a shriek. Kagome felt herself be free once more and turned back to Inuyasha. The rest of the boys ran off into the night, leaving their friends to fend for themselves. Inuyasha breathed heavily when he felt someone's presence behind himself. He slashed his elongated claws across something soft, before turning around and facing stunned Kagome. Luck was on her side, as most of the blow was absorbed by the think fabric and filling of the costume. However, Inuyasha's keen senses caught the scent of her blood as she backed away from him, before starting to run.

It took several minutes for his breathing to calm and vision to clear. As he wiped the sweat of his forehead, he scowled at the smell of blood that offended his senses. Granted, there wasn't much of it as he had been holding back, only wanting to scare the stupid idiots away rather than end their miserable lives. He smirked at how quickly he got rid of them and then noticed that something or rather someone was missing. Then it finally dawned on him. He smelled her blood. The scent was fainter than others surrounding him, but it was there. His eyes widened at the memory of him slicing though her costume and clearly through the delicate flesh of her stomach too, hopefully not dealing too much damage.

'Kagome!' he shouted and took off in the direction where he could still catch her scent. As he ran onto the main street he nearly gagged from the mixture of smells that rushed at him. He froze, panic coursing through his body. There was no way in hell that he will distinguish her scent from others around him now, even with his sense of smell as acute as it was. Unless.. He rummaged around his pockets until he finally located his phone. Flipping it open, he hoped that for once Sesshomaru will not be 'busy' on a Friday night.

**Dear readers that may by now abandoned hope of ever seeing Sesshomaru in this story, do not worry. He will frequent us with appearances from next chapter onwards. I wanted him to have a little time to come to terms with Kagome as well as make this story a little more 'Inuyasha friendly' than my other one. He really is a good guy. However, Kagome belongs with Sesshomaru and nothing can change my opinion about that. **


	7. Chapter 7

His delicate brow rose as he saw the youkai onna in front of him smile seductively and make her way towards him, the sway of her hips hinting at her intentions. As she walked up to him her eyes trailed over his body in appreciation, her gaze slipping firmly downwards and settling there. As much as a woman so openly ogling him made Sesshomaru wish for the days where women were expected to appear subdued, meek and silent, he admitted to himself that the sexual revolution had its perks too. One of them being lack of 'appropriate' clothing on females such as this one, making her luscious body rather exposed to appreciative males.

Sesshomaru smirked and inclined his head, gesturing towards the exit, the scent of her arousal drifting towards his keen nose. The youkai onna winked at him and smiled radiantly displaying her sharp ivory fangs. She slid her coat over her slender shoulders, walking in front of the exquisite male to allow him a view from the behind.

Sesshomaru sighed in frustration at how primitive her seduction methods were; although he had to admit that at this moment it didn't quite matter to him. He had a rough week, which ended with him arguing with his father just before the older inu left for America, his business trips quite frequent lately. What irked Sesshomaru the most, however, was the fact that his father was willing to waste his time and efforts on protecting the worthless human that now resided in their house despite the fact that his son disapproved. She was loud, at times incoherent, whiny and worst of all... weak. A pathetic little insect just like any other human, as far as he was concerned. This was exactly what he told his father when the alpha inu enquired of the cause for Sesshomaru's hostility towards Kagome.

He could still remember the disappointment and fatigue he saw on Taisho's face when the words were said; it was as if he had to explain his intentions numerous times as it was when it came to the human girl. After all, they coexisted with other demons, meaning that they too would demand an explanation for his sudden need to adopt a human with no wealth, stature or power. Taisho, however, chose to completely ignore his son at that moment, annoying the younger inu further. He growled as he remembered the words his father said: "You will not know a creature worth protecting, until you will find something of your own to protect".

Sesshomaru scoffed at that suggestion, red tinge surfacing to combat the molten gold of his eyes. He did not have anything to protect.

'Nor am I planning to' he thought as he slipped his arm around the female youkai's skimpily clad form, thus ensuring that his slip of control was viewed as something as mundane as lust. He was going to make sure that his beast enjoyed tonight for sure.

As they exited the club, Sesshomaru felt the vibration of his telephone in his coat pocket. Although curious as to who would dare to bother him at such hour, he chose to ignore it, having a strange feeling that it would alter his evening somehow. That would be unacceptable.

He was reassured that he was taking the correct course of his actions as he felt the woman rub her hand down his toned chest under his shirt, kneading the muscles teasingly with her fingers. He stopped and pushed her roughly against the wall, smirking at the fire he clearly ignited within her. As Sesshomaru moved towards her parted lips, her head tilted back to signify submission to her superior, he felt his phone vibrate again. Wondering as to who was stupid enough to insist on his attention, he took the phone out of his pocket.

'How does the hanyou even know this number in the first place?' he thought, somewhat intrigued. Inuyasha was stupid, but not to such extent as to bother this Sesshomaru when he was out for nothing.

Sesshomaru grunted in irritation whilst cursing his curiosity, bringing the phone to his ear.

"It better be something good half-breed"

Inuyasha sucked his breath in hard at that but didn't retaliate. He needed Sesshomaru now. Kagome was still out there, hurt and very frightened. He clenched his fist tight and tried to calm his breathing slightly before replying.

"Kagome is gone".


	8. Chapter 8

There was a pause, before the anxious boy heard "That does not concern me."

Inuyasha felt as if he was about to explode whilst trying too get through to the high and mighty ice prick that his brother was. It wasn't only him that his father honour bound to protecting Kagome! Granted, Inuyasha grew to think of her as a sister and at the moment he was letting his pride be smashed into pieces by having to grovel to Sesshomaru, but he knew he would do that and more for her.

"What do ya mean it doesn't? It damn well concerns you! Father cares for her and..."

"What father does, doesn't concern me either. She may die for all I care. I will not soil my name by protecting something so unworthy" he spat out before nearly hanging up on the raging hanyou, when he felt a strong outburst of pure uninhibited energy nearby.

"What the.."

For once Sesshomaru agreed with his half witted brother. They must be near each other for both of them to have felt that so acutely. It was rather strange than the squirming youkai female underneath him appeared not to have felt anything at all, her still being occupied with caressing his toned abdomen.

"Where are you currently?" Sesshomaru was already moving away from the woman. Feeling the lack of his body heat she scowled and shot the telephone a dirty glance, mentally cursing whoever was responsible for her lack of bed partner for tonight. It was evident that what little thing they had going would end as of now, the cold calculating look in his eyes making it clear to her.

"At the moment? Next to the main shopping district. There is only one in this town anyways." Inuyasha said, thanking the Kamis that their father chose such place for them to reside currently, the old man insisting on them moving from place to place quite frequently. If it was Tokyo that they were in on this day, chances of finding Kagome would be so slim they'd be practically nonexistent.

"Indeed" said Sesshomaru, who already stood next to his half-brother, his settling hair and clothes being the only evidence that he wasn't there mere seconds ago.

"How did you get here so fast?" Inuyasha asked, clearly in awe.

Sesshomaru smirked and let the fact sink into the hanyou's mind, lest he would ever forget how inferior he is to this Sesshomaru. This was when they heard a loud hissing noise and yet another energy outburst, which was by far more intense and yet lacked any control at all compared to the previous one, as it spiralled upwards before surging in different directions. Inuyasha's eyes widened and he shot in the direction it came from. It wasn't long before he saw Kagome.

She stood with her back facing the two inuyoukai, panting heavily, black shapes that lay in front of her barely visible in the dim light even for their heightened senses. The acrid smell of burning dominated the air, making it hard to determine whether she was injured or not. She didn't react to them in any way, seemingly not noticing their approach at all.

Inuyasha called out her name several times in vein and was about to run towards the slightly shivering girl to access her condition, when he felt Sesshomaru's hand landing on his shoulder, the unfamiliar gesture causing the younger inu to pause fleetingly. As if finally hearing them approach, the dainty girl turned, revealing what was laid out before her.

Inuyasha gasped as he saw what looked like mangled ripped shadows pepper the ground. They looked like nothing he saw or sensed before and from the looks of it, Sesshomaru had no idea what they were either. His normally emotionless eyes were slightly widened, revealing his confusion over the nature of the beings. Inuyasha gulped and finally raised his eyes to look at Kagome. Her nails were extended into deadly sharp claws, which held the scent of ash and death, pearlescent liquid dripping off them to form little pools on the ground. Her form was tense, shoulders square, as a warning growl rippled through the air, sending shivers down the younger inu's spine, the primitive part his being urging him to flee at once. But the most threatening thing about her appearance was her eyes, for they were the most intense white he has ever seen.


	9. Chapter 9

She was neither human, youkai nor miko at that moment. As the creature levelled her gaze on Sesshomaru Inuyasha could sense the strain on the hold of his half-brother's inner beast, which wished to either compete against the threat or protect itself from it.

Sesshomaru frowned at what he saw before him. The girl was clearly no weak human any longer, but then what was she? Was THIS the reason for his father's interest in her wellbeing? Was his intention to protect her or rather shield those around her from what she could become? That this Sesshomaru was impressed with such display of raw power he couldn't hide. However, he was concerned that her power will attract someone or something far more dangerous than what lay at her feet at the moment. He was torn between the feeling of disgust and curiosity and decided finally that the later will be better. He released the hold on his beast slightly and snarled at the girl before him, telling her to submit to her superior. He did not know whether it would be in her nature to do so, but could trace certain amount of youki in her scent, meaning that she could posses some of the inu instincts.

She didn't react at all at first, making him wonder whether this form of communication was beyond her, when he saw her straightening her back and looking straight into his eyes. His crimson orbs held her heated white gaze for some time, until finally he got what he wanted. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she exhaled, her mouth opening enough to reveal the undersized yet clearly razor-sharp fangs. As the white fire left her eyes and their colour was restored to its usual molten gold, Kagome fell slowly to her knees.

Inuyasha rushed forward to hold her weak body up and asses her for injuries, of which none where more than a scratch. Even the blow he delivered to her stomach was, surprisingly, nearly heeled. All that could have given away that there was a gash at all was the redness of the scar.

He shook the now fully human girl's head slightly, trying to help her regain consciousness, but her eyes remained closed. Kagome's steady and peaceful breathing showed that there was nothing to be concerned about, so he picked her up and carried her away from what was clearly a battle site, Sesshomaru following close behind.

An elegantly dressed man watched as the three departed, unseen by the party. After all, he was over one thousand miles away, so how could they have known that they were being watched? He smirked in satisfaction and sipped some more of his wine, savouring its flavour. It didn't matter to him even if they did. Now that he finally located the keeper of the Shikon no Tama, nothing in this world would stop him from obtaining what he desired. He looked at the raven haired girl in the hanyou's arms and traced her image slowly with his finger, before laughing maliciously. It was a shame of course that she killed his best scouts; they would be terribly hard to conjure and replace.

They ran into her completely by accident. The swarm of vile vermin fed on fears as well as other children's emotions considered unpleasant and the scent of her panic must have been near impossible to resist, which was why they pursued her, especially considering how young the girl is. His scouts didn't have a body enough to be able to nourish themselves with adults' emotions, for as humans and youkai grew up, more often than not they became too complex and suppressed in nature. The girl was nearly blinded with horror, the base emotion making her state perfect for the consumption of the creatures.

Upon starting the feed they must have paralysed the girl's body, so the banquet would go uninterrupted. This was when the girls powers were unlocked in order to preserve their keeper, blasting the first swarm away just as they were about to sink their teeth into the delicate skin of her neck. As the second part of the beings watched her disintegrate their brethren, they must have attacked, being destroyed too of course. He would have sent more forth to battle her until she was weakened enough to take her, when the inu brothers showed up.

His handsome face was marred by a scowl as the grip on his glass of wine hardened before he released the breath he was holding unintentionally and smiled at his thoughts. After all, it wasn't as if he didn't know who she was, or more importantly, with whom she was. Fame and power had always come at a price. You can never run nor hide.


	10. Chapter 10

**I do not own Inuyasha. **

Chapter 10

Taisho-sama slammed the door of the mansion shut, quite irate that his flight was cancelled for one reason or another and wondering which of the silly politicians he will have to reprimand for banning youkai using flight. He didn't stay in the airport for long enough to find out why it was exactly that his plans had to be altered, declining his near hysterical assistant's offer of staying at a hotel near the airport. There would be no use in flying out now at all as all would be settled by the time he would arrive in America, even if it was without his intimidating presence to make the deal more lucrative for the company.

However he was still rather displeased and thus slamming the door was a harmless way to channel his anger away from others as tension left his body, making the inu once again realise the advantages of western style of architecture. One for sure could not abuse the shoji screens in the same manner without damaging them profoundly.

The daiyoukai took off his coat and was about to fling it in the general direction of the wardrobe to be picked up later by the maid when he paused. Letting the smells that drifted around the house envelop him and be unravelled from one another like delicate yarn, Taisho-sama felt his beast rise slightly from within him, the amber of his eyes being challenged by the rising red tinge.

He could smell Kagome's blood.

The youkai wondered of the identity of the one who would dare to harm a child, in the household of the Western Lord nonetheless, the sheer strength of the poorly concealed metallic stench clearly hinting at an attack rather than a commonplace accident.

"Father."

Taisho turned to see his eldest son blocking the way to the upper levels of the mansion, the younger inu clearly wanting to speak as he released the hold on his aura, its composure making Taisho calmer and thus more willing to converse.

"Is she harmed?"

"She isn't in any... immediate danger."

Taisho nodded, his eyes once again becoming molten gold, his beast realising that there was no potential threat posed to the family any longer. However, what his rather laconic son left unsaid could prove to be troublesome, perhaps even in the near future. This was unacceptable. The older inu drew in a breath as he detached himself from the emotions he exhibited earlier, the situation at hand requiring his mind to be cleared of such useless nonsense.

"What did it feel like? To be near such power and not know what to do about it?"

Sesshomaru thought back to what happened, his senses alert as her aura pulsed around his rigid form, his bestial self being provoked into wakening from its controlled slumber. She issued him a challenge, if briefly and subconsciously, and it wasn't something that he had to face in the past, being the heir to the West and one of the most powerful youkai in Japan. It was both irksome and exhilarating.

"It was intriguing." Sesshomaru didn't feel the need to withhold this information. To deny it would be foolish, for he wasn't the only one that found the child to be such an oddity.

Taisho motioned for his son to follow as they made their way up the stairs that once served as slides, towards the daiyoukai's study.

"As you may have guessed, Midoriko and Ranomaru weren't the first miko-youkai union" the older inu said as he drew intricate patterns in the air, putting up a barrier around the room lest someone dared to eavesdrop on their conversation. Walking past the shelves, his clawed appendage slid down the carefully labelled compartments that housed the numerous scrolls that were acquired during the reign of their clan, majority of them priceless and antient.

"Although it was always viewed almost as a taboo, many attempted to make it work and didn't heed the warnings of the Elders and those around them. For a while, most of them were content. However, when it came to having pups, none succeeded as their natures were so fundamentally different. This was always so until Kagome was born." He paused and pulled out several scrolls that appeared to contain some support for the assumptions he made about the girl, handing them to his son. Sesshomaru raised a sculpted eyebrow at that, but refrained from commenting, his curiosity not sated yet.

Taisho nodded, recognising his son's silent appeal to continue "A child, whose body is capable of housing both reiki of a miko and youki of a youkai is a rarity. We do not know how or why it happened, but what we do know is that many will try to take her. To understand her nature, to control her and wield her powers, now that could make one truly unstoppable, even if it will be with borrowed strength."

He turned to face clearly unrepentant yet somewhat humbled Sesshomaru, who pretended not to understand that he was being reproved for his actions towards the child in question.

"It appears that she is starting to display powers must earlier than we prognosticated."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that someone must train her before all realise how woefully uncontrolled her powers are, meaning that any weakling can use her." Taisho-sama unrolled one of the fragile looking scrolls, his fingers hovering close to the surface but not daring to touch the writings for the fear of marring them. "Kaede is still indebted to me and thus she will be more than willing to repay my kindness by teaching the little one how to control her reiki and use her miko powers. However, some form of balance must be created, as she has two forces that oppose one another inside her. Which is why, I trust you to teach her how to control her youki, Sesshomaru."

**Sorry I took long to post, but with Christmas only being around the corner I was quite busy with the preparations. I do hope to post the next chapter or two by the end of next week. Either way, Merry Christmas everyone and thanks for reading and reviewing! Oh and any similarities between the names of the characters with something you may have seen before is purely accidental, apart from the Inuyasha ones clearly. There are only that many names out there after all. **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

I noticed when I was re-reading the story that recently the balance of gloom to humour has been rather neglected, which is what inspired this chapter. Enjoy!

Sesshomaru lifted his body off the woman who was still shaking and panting in pleasure underneath him, feeling spent but rather incensed, the whole ordeal not serving the purpose it should have, which was taking his mind of the rather unpleasant task that his father set for him – passing the knowledge of the inu to a mortal.

He could have refused, of course, but that would be defying his alpha, which was not tolerated well even now that father became far more... lenient. To teach the young was one of the functions of the older members of the pack and thus was expected from all that reached a certain age, which was likely why father chose him as the Lord of the West was often occupied with other things, meaning that lessons would be far spaced apart and due to this not effective. Even though Kagome was not quite a demon, she was viewed as such by the alpha of their pack, meaning others had to accept her as being one too or face the consequences. The older inu suggested that they start as soon as possible, seeing as the girl appeared to age in the same manner as humans rather than youkai.

Time was crucial in all things in this era, Sesshomaru has learnt. Before, when the numbers of youkai were far greater it wasn't as painfully obvious that one must not waste this commodity, which was by far more precious to humans, whose life was a speck compared to demon's lifespan.

Sesshomaru shook himself and inclined his head downwards, taking in the flushed appearance of the one that was meant to divert him from these thoughts and failed miserably. She was a rather beautiful youkai onna, the only feature of hers which didn't scream perfection being her eyes, which were an ugly maroon colour, making her look as if she lacked control over her beast at all times. However, as he did not plan to spend much time in her presence as of this minute, this nuance did not matter to him in the least.

Slipping away from her, the inu raised himself from the bed and started to dress, purposefully ignoring his onetime bed partner. She did not seem to mind, however, her gaze trailing over the curve of his hips and upwards, to admire the chiselled muscles of his abdomen and broad shoulders which were now partially concealed by his shirt. She smirked to herself in silent victory, not bothered by his silence, knowing for sure that she did well and a repeat of tonight was likely. Although he did not state his name, his reputation was known by all as well as his status as one of the wealthiest and more influential beings in Japan.

'Sesshomaru Takahashi. Quite a catch indeed' she thought, slipping the once discarded sheets around her bosom to cover her nakedness.

Not wanting to be forgotten, the youkai female stood up and went to her dresser, pulling out a very revealing red thong, the piece that served well for her at all times as it accentuated her curviness. Crumpling it up in her hand carefully, lest it was seen too early, she silently made her way towards his coat, slipping the underwear into his coat pocket with a knowing smile. Forget her? I think he will not.

Kagome ran up and down the stairs for what must have been the hundredth time, or at least it felt so for poor Jaken who was given the task of watching the tenacious child while the rest were away from the mansion. An hour earlier he demanded an explanation for her odd behaviour, but was left even more confused than before by her reply.

"I saw it in a film once; if you want to be stronger you must train. I am training"

He decided not to speak to her at all after this, worried that she will badger him to join in. Being a vigilant and trustworthy being, he was felt honoured that his Lord trusted him enough to finally reveal the reasons for the little brat to be residing in the house, which would explain why one such as important as the toad demon was deemed reliable enough to keep guard. Jaken puffed out his chest, still feeling a little overwhelmed from being told the information that was known only by the pack members. His happy thoughts were quickly interrupted as the child in question squealed in delight and rushed past him, nearly knocking the long suffering toad of his feet on her way.

"Sesshomaru-sama! You returned!"

She panted lightly as she stood next to the calm inu, him eying her minute form for any sign of treachery. Surely, one could not be _that_ happy to see another return after only being away for a day? Apparently, this rule did not apply to the happy brunette child that latched herself onto his leg, squeezing him with all her might, her delight genuine. Sesshomaru felt the corners of his lips being tugged upwards and willed for them to stop their ascent. It was undignified, almost.

Her scent changed from elation to confusion abruptly, as Kagome spotted a hint of red fabric in Sesshomaru's coat pocket. Her nose wrinkling in uncertainty, she reached out and pulled the underwear out of his pocket, her inquisitive mind working full-time as she tried to understand what the strings of material were meant to be.

"Sesshomaru-sama, what is this?"

The inu felt his eye twitch slightly, as he too wondered what _was_ this and how in Kamis' name this _object_ ended up in his pocket.

"Why, you foolish child, can't you tell that this is underwear?"

Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he saw Jaken emerge seemingly from nowhere, offering the oh-so-needed explanation to the even more bewildered child.

Kagome's mouth formed into an o, as she nodded gravely, feeling that this was a very serious discussion indeed.

"It is _your_ underwear Sesshomaru-sama?"

Jaken gave a little embarrassed laugh at the preposterous suggestion. Seeing that his Lord was not about to speak, Jaken knew that it was up to him to explain all.

"Of course not you silly human. Such things are only worn by.."

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the item in question disappear from sight, it being abruptly snatched away by a sharply-clawed hand. Moments later Jaken found out what it was like to have the skill of flight as he soared through the air to crash face first into one of the walls on the further end of the room, squawking apologies and swearing everlasting loyalty to his masters. Even if it meant enduring such pain.

Kagome giggled, not expecting such a move from the stoic youkai in front of her, who was currently seeing red. Literally. Sesshomaru growled and threw the offensive item into the rubbish bin, hoping that his father or younger brother will not find out about the incident, their opinions on this matter was not being something he cared to ever know.

The little girl shook her head, not liking her Sesshomaru-sama in his angry state at all and slid her soft hand into his clawed one, watching in awe as it disappeared from sight magically.

"Taisho-sama said that we will start lessons today."

He nodded and let the child pull him towards her recently redecorated room, feeling that perhaps the tutoring will not be as vile a task as he had first thought, seeing as how this girl understood his moods better than any other this Sesshomaru encountered.

What do you think? Merry Christmas to all!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Kaede watched as a wavering orb formed between the child's clammy hands. It was far from ideal, sputtering and hissing as if it was an angry kitten and yet, it held more power than the ones that the expert miko would have made herself. A good sign for sure.

"Do not suppress the flow of your reiki, child, and do not force it out either. It mustn't be dormant ad yet it will not do to have it too active either. Find the equilibrium within."

Kagome blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion, not understanding what she was meant to be doing in the least. She was kind of getting used to the odd way of speaking the old lady seemed to favour, but she did wish that she was more.. normal and easier to interpret. Kagome watched as the glow intensified, the sphere becoming rather uncomfortable if not painful to hold. She had a sudden intense wish to let it go somewhere, as far away from herself as possible, which is what she did. With a wet slapping sound, the ball collided with the wall to her left, not doing any damage at all. The tendrils that shot out as the rest was absorbed reminded her somewhat of what happened with silly putty when it was treated in the same manner, making the golden-eyed child giggle mischievously.

Kaede shook her head in disapproval.

"Ye let it go too soon, without choosing the target. Each attack sucks out some power from within the miko's being, it must not be used so unwisely."

Kagome smiled sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head, not knowing how to explain why she couldn't stand to hold the sphere any longer. A change of subject would be a wise move, she realised.

"But what must I aim for?"

Kaede's hand paused on its way to the practise arrows as the elderly miko understood that she left quite a vital part of their lessons out for some time.

"Why, youkai of course."

Kagome's smile wavered, as she adjusted to this newfound knowledge, trying to process it so it would fit with her understanding of the world around her.

'Youkai? But that means daddy, Taisho-sama, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru-sama.'

She lowered her head in disgust, not wanting to continue with the lesson at all. Many a demon have been and still are very kind and dear to her, and she refused to become a being that would lead to their demise.

"Child?"

Kagome's head shot up, making the old woman take a step back involuntarily. Their eyes met, amber orbs piercing and sharp, warmth seeping out of them, reminding Kaede very much of Taisho-sama when he was displeased. Without a word, the angry girl left the dojo, not bothering to glance at her teacher as she slammed the shoji screen shut. Kaede did not call for her nor did she move, knowing well that now was not the time to tempt her luck.

Taisho-sama nodded in recognition at the ninjen onna that approached him in the snow-filled gardens, placing the newspaper he was reading onto his lap. He knew that most humans found it rather uncomfortable to be outside in such weather, but he found it pleasing, the tranquillity and quiet the gardens offered at this time of the year being a welcome refuge. Normally he would not appreciate being disturbed but it was time for him to enquire about the lessons. He has been uncharacteristically patient and had not asked about it as yet, but as Kagome has been educated in the ways of a miko for a little over a year now, the inu Lord was anxious to know of her results.

"How did the training go?" he asked rather casually, not wanting to betray his interest in matters concerning the child. He put more trust in Kaede than into many others, but even she had her faults that could be used to manipulate her into submitting the knowledge to the wrong person.

The elderly miko slid into the offered seat and pulled her coat around her, internally grumbling about youkai and their resistance to the elements, the tense set of her shoulders giving her away as a bearer of bad news. The Western Lord gestured for her to continue, his patience with the priestess wearing thin.

When she finished, the two sat in silence for some time, Taisho pondering whether he should explain the young girl's actions. Noting that the woman next to him started to shiver yet again, he slid his coat of his shoulders and placed it gently around the onna.

"Kagome may be a child, but, considering her heritage, she is partially inuyoukai. Even though your intentions were pure and you meant no disrespect, you just told the girl that she could pose a potential deadly threat to the ones she considered her 'pack'." He watched as snow fell down languidly all around them, taking in a breath of crisp icy air. "I do not know how much of the inu instincts she possesses, but to nurture the ones around her appears to be one of them."

He stood up; setting the newspaper he was reading aside carefully on the table, losing interest in the conversation now that he knew what was wrong and Kagome's progress had been accounted for.

"She is unlikely to wish to train today or any time soon. I will call for you when your services are needed."

The elderly woman bowed and left, hoping that she had not done too much damage to the little one with her reckless words.

**Merry Christmas once again to all my lovely readers! I hope that it was great for all of you. Btw I know some of you noted that my interpretation of young Kagome somewhat resembles Rin and yes in a way I do feel that they are similar especially as both are being raised by inuyoukai. However, Kagome is her own person meaning that pretty much the only thing they have in common is a few characteristics and their love for Sesshomaru. But who can blame them, eh? **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"No! Sesshomaru I knew you were a heartless bastard by I had no idea you would stoop so low as to hurt her!" Inuyasha was not holding back any longer, it was his duty to protect.

"It is for her benefit you insolent half-breed" Sesshomaru spat out. "This would have triggered a reaction, making her display her youki more prominently if it wasn't for your interference. I cannot help her control something when I do not know the extent of its power."

"Since when _maiming_ a seven year old was something that you did! I can't believe father would allow it. You will not _touch_ her, you hear me?"

Sesshomaru rose slowly and deliberately, satisfied by the reaction he was eliciting from the insolent boy. He stood thus for some time, narrowing his eyes to thin slits to accentuate what was about to be said.

"Whilst I am to teach her and she is in this household, I will do as I wish. To her and to any other."

Inuyasha stormed out of the room, not wanting to hear another word. He would not and could not allow them to do this to Kagome any longer, even if they claimed that it was to strengthen her. Sesshomaru was wrong in all but one thing; there was something that he could do.

Kagome rummaged through the pile DVD's on the floor, popping the disks into the correct cases whilst humming a tune she heard on the radio. Inuyasha was for sure going to be pleased with her when he saw how she organised all of these for him. He always complained of not being able to find one film or another, sometimes blaming Kagome for it. Perhaps she could badger him to take her to the movies for her being ever so helpful. It was annoying that she couldn't just go herself but, her being a seven year old; the world was quite unfair as all the fun activities on offer had to include a supervising teen or adult. Grinning happily as she thought about popcorn and sweets, Kagome closed the last of the cases, feeling very satisfied at the sight of one hundred-odd films that peppered the carpet around her. It was tough, but so is she.

As Kagome was about to start putting them back on the low shelves, a series of muffled shouts followed by loud stomping was heard somewhere in the vicinity of Sesshomaru's room. Never a good sign.

'They are at it again, aren't they? Better not to get involved.'

Perhaps she will enquire about the movies after dinner.

A few DVD's being put back later, Inuyasha stormed into the room, tripping over one of the cases still on the floor. He landed quite heavily for someone meant to be agile, spewing such naughty words that Kagome had to cover her ears in shock, her golden eyes reflecting her disapproval at his antics.

"Tsk tsk Yash, your potty mouth gets worse every day!"

Her words thoroughly ignored, the silver-haired boy raised himself clumsily, the cause of his fall pierced through by his claws.

"Why the hell are all of these on the floor? KAGOME!"

She smiled sheepishly and opened one, showing that the box matched its contents.

"See? I organised them for you, so that next time you have someone over you will not embarrass yourself by pulling out 'Dora the explorer live' DVD from 'Mortal Combat' case."

"Oh whatever, just get out of my room or I will not be able to get rid of the stench!"

Kagome tensed at that, knowing that it was him being upset that fuelled his tongue. That didn't mean that it was any better for her to hear though, especially after the awful training sessions that she had this afternoon.

"You don't mean that Inuyasha."

"The hell I don't! It would be fine if it was just the smell alone, but your bloody aura is changing all the time too! "

Kagome's lower lip trembled slightly, the sight making Inuyasha's ears flatten against his silver mane. As he was about to apologise she rose from the floor silently, deliberately stepping on the disks in her path. A crunching sound was heard and the amber-eyed inu sighed, bidding goodbye to his collection whilst moving out of Kagome's way. He wasn't stupid enough to stay in the way of a woman scorned.

Kagome was seething. No, scratch that, she was livid! Recently it was as if she could do absolutely nothing right! She wasn't exactly expecting to hear compliments from the insensitive demons that she somehow ended up living with, but to feel appreciated would be nice for sure.

She knew, of course, why Sesshomaru-sama was displeased with her. Ever since she refused to train her reiki she has hardly used it at all, meaning that it accumulated in its suppressed state enough to start affecting her youki. The whole thing didn't make much sense to her personally, but this was what she was told during the training she had earlier today with Sesshomaru, the inu suggesting ever so subtly that she should go elsewhere. 'Go and waste someone else's time' being the exact words.

She shivered at the memory, brushing her fingers around the scratches on her left arm. This was her fault, too. She wasn't quick enough to dodge one of Sesshomaru-sama's pointedly slow attacks, resulting in slight injury. This being the exact time Inuyasha decided to come into the dojo meant that lessons had to be suspended until further notice.

'Argh! What is it with all of them!'

Well if they were going to be poo-heads than so will she! With that thought, she slammed the room to her door shut, pushing a pink dresser and a few chairs to block the way as a make-shift barricade, knowing that it was a futile attempt at defiance, for it will not stop them if they chose to come in.

The physical activity made her feel better, however, so she pulled out her books, choosing this time to study quietly. Kagome was not permitted to attend school and had tutors come to the mansion but she did not like their company, preferring to figure everything out for herself. Perhaps when she turned eight she could try to ask once again whether she can go to school. As nice as it was to spend time with her new family she longed for interaction with other children, something that would make her feel more... normal. She sighed and turned the page, preparing to fully steep herself in mathematics.

**What is it that Inyuasha decided to do to poor little Kags? Find out in the next chapter! I wrote chapter 12 and 13 only a day ago so, with the editing and all, thus my brain is not coming up with anything great at the point being and I want to have some more action! Bring on the villains! I promise that the next chapter will be much longer than the previous ones!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Combat training? Are you out of your mind old man! She is a seven year old _human girl _not a fighting machine or a female version of Sesshomaru!"

His angry retort being granted with silence, Inuyasha threw his hands up in exasperation, none of the demons present in the room willing to back down, their obstinacy well cultivated and nurtured over the years.

"Inuyasha" Sesshomaru moved towards the incensed hanyou, finally deciding that to address his half-witted brother was the fastest way of shutting him up "As much as it is _admirable_ that you wish to guard her until she is old and grey, you must realise that one day she may no longer wish to remain by our side."

Inuyasha stiffened visibly at mere suggestion of the inevitable but did not back down, stepping towards the approaching youkai.

"_Our_ side? Since when do you care for a mere human, the oh so great and mighty heir to the West?"

The older brother chose not to reply. With a haughty look thrown at his despised sibling Sesshomaru turned to walk away from the ignorant half-breed, who was still spewing venom to their father. In vain, no doubt. After all, to heed this Sesshomaru's advice would be in their best interests.

Although it would be far less troublesome just to ignore the half-breed's implications, Sesshomaru could not deny the growing attachment he felt for the mortal girl, his beast nearly taking over at the scent of her blood when she cut herself accidentally whilst washing the dishes. He knew not why she insisted on doing the mundane work around the house, seeing as there were plenty of others around who could do the job as they were _paid _for it. The strange appeal that she found in doing pointless work escaped him. What he did not fail to notice, however, was the response that the incident extracted from within his being.

When the metallic scent reached his acute nose, he rushed towards the kitchen, fully intending to slaughter whatever being that dared to harm what was _his_, only to find her apologising for her clumsiness to father, who reprimanded her lightly and left, advising Jaken to watch the child with more vigour unless he wished to face his masters' wrath. The toad demon bowed and babbled as he followed the Western Lord, once again forgetting about the one he was meant to be looking after.

Sesshomaru paused slightly by the door to her room, straining to hear the girl behind the thick wood door, analysing his thoughts on the matter.

'Mine? Is that how we view her?' It appears so, he mused, remembering not only his rational fear for her wellbeing but the instinctual urge to protect the girl.

He leaned closer towards the door.

'She must have put up a barrier' he realised; his slender fingers hovering above the surface of the door, the small charges of miko power that reached him tingling the smooth surface of his pale skin. Although the feeling was unpleasant, the sight of the rippling, glowing shell satisfied him somewhat, as it meant that her overflowing reiki was being used up to create a barrier that was solid enough to prevent him from detecting her aura. Her scent was still present, its calm serenity meaning that her slumber was undisturbed. This pleased him further.

Moving away, he wrestled with the new notion. Never before he experienced emotions other than polite respect or curiosity for any human, including this one, but recently he found himself worrying for her wellbeing. This attachment could prove to be a weakness. Could he allow himself one? Before the answer would be no. Now?

'Perhaps.'

With his inner demon purring in pleasure at the conclusion reached by the more prudent side, Sesshomaru decided to retire for the night, having an innate feeling that tomorrow may prove to be difficult.

"Kagome? Let us in! Common it ain't funny anymore." The three inu's were camped outside her room, waiting for the stubborn little girl to come out, the miko barrier preventing them from entering without causing a certain degree of damage, which was irksome.

When she didn't come down for breakfast Inuyasha decided to investigate, still feeling bad about what he said last night as it was uncalled for. Replaying the conversation in his head, he realised that what he said sounded far worse than he thought it did, meaning that some grovelling was in order. He was almost prepared to go through with it too, but was unable to do so now that the stubborn child refused to let him in. After futile attempts of gaining a response, Inuyasha decided that it was time for a change of strategy and thus allied himself with his father, but to no avail. The banging and cursing attracted Sesshomaru's attentions and thus was how all three ended up there. Kagome really did have talent when it came to bringing families together.

Sesshomaru grunted, releasing his youki to battle the reiki that swivelled gently in a taunting manner around the door, crushing the strands with ease.

'This impudence will cease as of this moment', he thought, trailing his claws along the lines of the wood in order to burn away the bindings, before thrusting the door open. His golden orbs met their match, the child not bothered at all by the fact that the space around her was filled with youki of a very exasperated demon. In fact, she seemed to be prepared, her reiki suppressed to forming a languid barrier around herself as she waited for their next move.

Taisho-sama looked between the two, clearly neither of them about to back down; making the Lord of the West wonder absentmindedly how was it that he managed to raise such pig-headed children.

"Your insolence will end now" Sesshomaru spoke quietly, his expression almost serene; making Inuyasha gulp nervously for it was the type of calm that preceded a battle.

Kagome quirked a dark eyebrow in a very familiar manner indeed, raising her chin haughtily.

"Hn."

The two were startled out of their staring contest by a low chuckle, the alpha inu finding the sight very entertaining indeed.

"I believe that a truce is in order. Perhaps all parties will come to an agreement."

Kagome nodded gravely, glad that her antics were interpreted correctly, this being her first display of great disobedience. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to keep a tight hold on her scent lest the demons present would detect the nervousness that she felt when facing them.

"What is it that you want Kagome?"

The corners of her mouth twitched, her eyes sparkling with mischievous fire as she looked upon the three males. She won.

The next day Kagome bounced around the back seat of Sesshomaru's car, the demon clearly unhappy by the outcome of the meeting as he made a show of pointedly ignoring her throughout the ride even when she went as far as spilling sticky liquid of some sorts all over the back seat.

"Oh stop sulking already Sesshomaru." Inuyasha grumbled, trying to conceal his annoyance with their father, him not liking the notion either. Kagome alone at school, without their protection was far too vulnerable and that concept did not bode well with any of them. However, the word of the alpha was law and as Taisho-sama reluctantly agreed that Kagome is to do as she desires, the rest had to bite their tongue and do as they were told.

"It will be great!" Oblivious to anything going around her Kagome was now rummaging through her backpack, making sure that she had everything that she may require. She was a little nervous, seeing as this was the first time she was to set foot outside of the mansion without her protectors but she brushed the feeling off, knowing that all will be well.

Sesshomaru watched her, feeling the corners of his mouth twitch at the enthusiasm displayed before him even if he did not understand the appeal. What irritated him somewhat was her appearance, the chocolate brown nowhere as pleasing to behold as the gold hues her eyes were usually. However, such disguise was necessary, for it will make her appear less recognisable amongst other children.

Several hours later Sesshomaru waited for the school to finish, trying to ignore the giggling women that were trying to attract his attention to themselves, quite fruitlessly so. He scoffed at the bolder ones, their behaviour being a reminder of why he preferred to stay away from ninjen onnas. Such fussy and loud creatures they were.

Finally the doors to the institution were thrust wide open as children started filling into the playground, but there was no sign of the raven haired girl with chocolate brown eyes. He really must teach her how to fix her glamour herself, he thought absentmindedly as a child skidded past him, lest he is to spend every morning doing it for her whilst she had the wish to go to school, her exquisite amber eyes and minute fangs too unusual for a human. It fascinated him how her appearance was becoming more and more youkai as she aged, making him wonder whether she is likely to have markings when she matures fully.

"Sesshomaru!"

She rushed past groups of squealing children peppered around the playground, launching herself onto his person, rambling about the project they started today. He frowned slightly at the creases that were imminent due to such treatment, but returned her affection by brushing a lock of dark hair behind her slightly pointy ear, noting that the glamour was starting to slip. At least her hold on her aura was flawless, even his keen senses not being able to interpret the undertones of her scent apart from the most prominent cherry blossom one that falsely established her nature as human.

Helping Kagome slip her backpack of her shoulder, he took the girl by her hand as she waved goodbye to a group of youkai and ninjen children standing next to the gate to the playground. Sesshomaru's eyes slid past them to settle on a man that seemed to distance himself from the rest. Although he appeared to be waiting for someone, his grey eyes never left Kagome as she recited a poem she was learning at school. Sesshomaru growled almost inaudibly, establishing that the child was under his protection. The youkai inclined his head in recognition of the fact and looked away, walking towards the group of children to retrieve one that appeared to be his daughter, his emotionless expression being an exact replica of hers.

**Well this is the longest chapter so far. It was awfully hard to write in comparison to the others for some reason and I am not quite sure whether it flows as well but, after rewriting it several times, I decided that at this point it is as good as it can get really. Please review! Here is a little sneak peak of what is to come:**

'_**Blood?'**_

_**Kagome wiped the red drop of her work, lifting her slender finger up to her nose, not quite understanding where it came from. She sniffed it, scrunching her nose in distaste at the offensive metallic undertones the scent carried.**_

'_**My blood.'**_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

'Blood?'

Kagome wiped the red drop of her work, lifting a slender finger up to her nose, not quite understanding where the fluid came from. She sniffed it, scrunching her nose in distaste at the offensive metallic undertones that made her inner self agitated. Although her olfactory senses where nowhere as advanced as the ones of a youkai, Taisho-sama explained that she should be able to identify certain prominent scents and find out who they belonged to if she was acquainted with the being that possessed them. So far, she had only a few opportunities to use this particular skill, but this fragrance was something that was impossible not to recognise.

'My blood.'

The teacher stopped her droning upon hearing soft murmurs that passed around the class and looked away from the board, trying to identify the cause of the commotion. Her eyes grew a fraction wider as she saw the troubled girl in the second row, who, in an attempt to prevent her work from getting soiled, was tilting her head backwards as red pearls slid down her chin and onto her formally immaculate uniform.

"Kagome? Have you got a nosebleed?"

The kind blond woman opened one of her desk drawers to retrieve something and approached the slightly frightened child, pressing a pristine-looking white handkerchief into the girl's clammy hand.

"You better go to the nurse then. Would you like someone to come with you?"

Kagome shook her head, not wanting to be a burden to anyone. The teacher helped the mild girl towards the door as the child lifted her head further back and put the white cloth to her nose, squeezing tight. Eyes followed Kagome as she walked out of the room, the scent of her own blood being strangely irritating for her. The corridor was eerie, the clicking of her shoes accentuating the otherwise silent surroundings, making her shiver involuntarily.

'Such a horror movie cliché' she thought, her pace quickening nonetheless.

Kagome stumbled, her vision getting blurrier with each step as her body shook feverishly. The slight child leaned against the wall for support, sliding down in order to stop herself from falling as her heartbeat accelerated. Remembering what she was taught, she put her head between her knees and waited for world to stop spinning.

"Breathe in, breathe out" she whispered, feeling a little better now that she was sitting.

It was then that she heard it. Just as tender, caring and sweet as she remembered it to be. Her mother's voice, beckoning her from somewhere.

"Mama?"

Unable to resist, Kagome grit her teeth and pushed her body up on quavering hands, not caring what the consequences of such actions may be. She followed the call, forgetting about the tiny droplets that peppered the front of her uniform, the one that she sought to see clearly not far away.

"I am coming mum" was her last coherent thought, before she submitted to the force that urged her forward.

Sesshomaru cringed as his phone rang for the thirteenth time in the last twenty minutes, mentally wishing plague upon the being that dared to interrupt him during his meditation. It wasn't often that he had the chance to do so nowadays, most of his time spent working, networking or training the tiny amber-eyed terror that infiltrated his household. Now that she decided that she was to attend school he still had a few hours before he had to act as a chauffeur for the little miss, who insisted that Jaken was unfit for the ordeal due to his comments regarding the nature of her mother. He knew, of course, that he could have, _should_ have refused, but indulging her every whim was something that he found rather satisfying. And he never was a man to deny himself satisfaction.

The phone rang again. Sesshomaru glared at the offensive piece of plastic venomously, his concentration once again broken.

Realising that the caller was unlikely to stop pestering him any time soon, the inuyoukai sighed in aggravation and flipped the phone open.

"Yes?"

"Sesshomaru-sama! I swear I did not know.. I shouldn't have.."

"Cease your useless blabbering woman. What happened?"

"It's Kagome. She disappeared!"

The heir to the West rose from the floor in one swift, graceful movement, careful not to crash the phone in his tightening grip, not fully paying attention to what the woman was saying but daring not to let go before hearing the little that she knew about what happened. What she did tell him was almost entirely useless, but luckily the security cameras filmed Kagome walking past the school gate not too long ago.

'She couldn't have walked far.'

With that thought, Sesshomaru walked out of the dojo, feeling his youki intensify and gain texture underneath him to resemble a cloud. Taking to the skies was no longer llegal and would draw the wrong kind of attention towards them as the leaders of the West but at this point, he really did not give a damn. The girl was _his_, it was time for whoever wished to seek her to be reminded of that.

The dark miko knelt, feeling her strength draining with every minute that she subdued the girl enough so she will succumb to the spell. It was difficult to call for one's blood from such a distance but it was Tsubaki knew that it was her only chance of escaping the tenacious inuyoukai that protected the little brat, the water making scents much harder to for the inu to decipher. The priestess did not understand why her master desired for the child to be captured, her aura portraying her as rather weak and thus lacking value. However, there was a lot to gain from the mission and Tsubaki's greed for power was far too great to question his intent.

The child was close now, the impatient priestess could feel the girl's blood answer to the call as the ornate vial in the miko's hands shook, tremors rippling through the darkened liquid inside it. The spell was losing its strength as time trickled on; it was time to be more... radical. With a smirk, the evil woman took out the soft cork and let the contents of the bottle leak onto the ground. Closing her eyes, Tsubaki muttered a chant as the slender fingers of her right hand traced complex patterns in places where blood stained earth. With her free hand, she pulled on the thread visible to her eyes only, making the snake on her shoulders hiss as the sudden action made him jerk forwards abruptly.

Kagome staggered, her eyes unfocused, her body no longer hers to control as she walked towards her destination, her mother's voice leading the child towards a great expanse of water. Suddenly, she halted and sniffed the air purposefully as red battled the chocolate of her eyes. Although it was long since she smelled it last, it was impossible not to recognise even the slightest of nuances in the fragrance that reached her.

The scent of her mother's blood.

Kagome growled, her ebony hair flaring around her form as her fangs and claws elongated, sharpening to deadly tips as she located where the offensive scent was coming from. She crouched down and launched herself in front of the onrushing cars, dodging them skilfully as they turned out of her way, the drivers shouting profanities as they attempted to dodge her.

'The one that harmed our mother will pay'

She growled as the beast within her being broke out of its cage and howled victoriously, gaining control once again.

**Will Sesshomaru get to Kags in time? What is it that Tsubaki wants and who is her master? Find out all in the next chapter! **

**Hope my writing was alright, English is not my first language, sometimes I worry that I didn't use words quite in the correct sense so if you see something which isn't quite right do tell me! It helps me improve **


	16. Chapter 16

**Two updates in one week! I am quite proud.**

Chapter 16

Tsubaki smirked as she felt a fluctuating aura heading her way, glad that her spell worked so well in the end. Not that she doubted her ability in any way clearly, she smirked, luxuriating in the knowledge that her power will soon increase tenfold. She had little interest in the girl's abilities herself, but the awards that she will reap once the child was delivered to her master would be great.

The girl's unstable state meant that she was likely to throw all caution aside in her futile attempt at a battle if there was to be one, which suited Tsubaki just fine. There was not much glory at winning against a mere slip of a girl, in fact she felt slighted that something so easy was assigned to one of her power and knowledge.

The dark priestess trailed her delicate finger on the edge of the now empty vile, brushing the remainder of blood that was inside onto her pulse points, much like one would do with potent perfume. Satisfied, she glanced into the dull half-lidded eyes of her pet, who watched his mistress intently whilst she brushed its scaly side.

"Now for the appearance."

She took out a crumpled sutra from a fold of her elegant garb, murmuring under her breath as she straightened the edges. The piece of parchment glowed subtly, responding to her hushed words. With a slight wave, Tsubaki pressed it upon her lips, feeling the sutra disappear as she blew on it, letting the dust settle on her as the glamour started to change her visage. The spell worked amiably, of course, now all she had to do was wait. Shrugging the serpent that wound itself around her shoulders and upper body onto the ground, Tsubaki watched as it slithered away. It would be her eyes lest someone wished to intrude.

Kagome slowed her rapid approach and tasted the crisp cool air around her, no longer understanding the direction she must take. The waters that lapped upon the shore hungrily diluted the scents making her task no easy feat. She growled in frustration and kicked a smooth pebble out of her way, the beast she released earlier whimpering almost apologetically in confusion for it could not find what she sought, submitting enough to be once again encased within her mind. Her eyes returned to their usual golden hues and Kagome shook herself, not quite understanding where she was and how she got here, her last memory being of her being sent to the nurse.

Shrugging the predicament off for the time being, she wrapped her hands around herself and looked around, gasping as she saw that the sun had plenty of time to progress across the sky, meaning that school has ended now for sure. Seeing water nearby, she walked up hesitantly and looked at her reflection. Having confirmed her suspicions of it being around the time her glamour worn off, Kagome couldn't go back to school now even if it was just to be picked up, the gentle points of her elfin ears and claws completely unveiled. She reached for her coat pocket, scrambling for the telephone before realising that she must have left it behind. Great.

"Well, walking it is then" she muttered darkly, the chill sending goose bumps up her arms and legs. At least she wasn't completely lost, this being one of the places Inuyasha took her to before he decided that he was too cool for his own good. Now if she could just remember which way they..

"Kagome! Is that really you?"

She spun around, her heartbeat quickening as she recognised the voice. Indeed it was her, just as Kagome remembered her to be.

"Mama?" her lips trembled, it all seemed too good to be true. Pushing her uncertainty aside, Kagome rushed towards the gently smiling woman who fell down on her knees, soiling her pretty summer dress but not appearing to care.

"Mum!"

The impact nearly made the two topple over, Kagome drinking in the sight of Midoriko's kind albeit pale face. Four years passed since she had to leave her parents, but the young woman had not changed nor aged at all. Her vision obstructed by tears, Kagome wailed bitterly, coating her mother's clothes in her tears as she tried to speak. The woman smiled and slid her hand down the weeping child's dark locks in a display of motherly affection, twisting them around her fingers and carefully untangling the knots. Tilting the girl's head upwards she looked into the gold orbs, as if searching for something desperately, her eyes creasing in the corners to give away her age.

"Now don't cry dear, we are together" the cunning woman cooed as she drew a short knife discretely, not wanting her prey to escape her now that she was so close "Nothing will break us apart now."

Kagome cried out in shock as sharp pain shot through her left side, making her clutch tighter onto her mother's clothes as red seeped out of the wound. Midokiro lookalike smirked, no longer interested in looking the part of a loving mother, and threw the child of her person unsympathetically, laughing almost hysterically at the disbelief and disgust evident in the young girl's eyes as it slowly dawned on her that this woman could not possibly be her mother. The deceitfully short knife elongated as it pulsed to life, still lodged in Kagome's flesh, greedily drinking the blood that seeped from the open wound. Kagome stared at the woman before her numbly, now realising what a fool she was.

Tsubaki's lips twitched as she fought back a smirk, enjoying the sight of the broken girl struggling for life mere inches away.

"You wish for your mother?" she spat out vehemently "Fool, if it wasn't for her selfishness none of us would suffer." With that, the dark miko withdrew the knife sharply, letting blood trickle down freely out of the thin yet deep wound.

Tsubaki lowered herself down to the panting girl, their noses so close that they were almost touching and hissed "Your existence is abhorrent."

Kagome did not look away as the woman hoped she would, defiance instead of fear prominent in her golden eyes. Tsubaki shrank back as she felt the girl's reiki condense around her as she attempted to strike out; only to fall again as her hands gave out under the strain of supporting her body. The dark priestess quirked an eyebrow at the failed attempt and kicked the girl, feeling rather better now that the child was acting more subdued.

The tainted miko was not quite sure what to do with Kagome now, for it appeared that her master was nowhere to be seen as yet. Sighing in aggravation, she wondered how displeased he would be if she just let Midoriko's wretched offspring die, for it would be perfect revenge. Yet, she thought whilst extracting an ointment that would temporarily aid in stopping blood's flow, the miko knew that she dared not do as she wished, for she could never hide from the being she served.

**I hereby promise that the next entry will be at least 2k words long! **


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Sesshomaru savoured the scents that lingered in the crisp air around him, begrudgingly admitting that even for his heightened olfactory senses to decipher subtle nuances in smells was hard from such height due to the water's close proximity. The shimmering blue waters stretched far, almost mocking him in their vastness. The heir to the West grunted in frustration and lessened the hold on his youki, feeling the gusts of air under his feet increase in their intensity making his descent too rapid for his liking. It appeared that the elements were not favouring him on this particular day.

Lowering himself to the ground, Sesshomaru crouched and drew his aura inward, hair pooling down his back as it settled in a glistening silvery wave. Not wanting to be detected as yet, the inu scanned the area around him, choosing to make use of his senses over youki. All was still, the languid lapping of hungry waves upon the shores being the only sound made. It was reminiscent of the quiet before a storm, one that would be imminent and destructive in its wake.

He was quite certain that Kagome wouldn't have left as she did, without notifying someone unless something drastic occurred; it was simply not in her nature to make others worry about her wellbeing intentionally. It was likely that her innocence was exploited craftily to lure the child into a trap, a well prepared one at that. He was not worried about his person, scoffing at the notion of that being a possibility, especially when it came to one cowardly enough to coax the little girl into coming here when she was at her most vulnerable. However, the inu did not want to draw any unnecessary attention to the area, lest an innocent passer-by would fall victim to his claws due to a misunderstanding. Flying over here had been too high profile for this part of town as it was, undeniably noticed but possibly ignored, for it was known that only youkai of high stature could harness their power enough for flight .

Lost in his thoughts, Sesshomaru became suddenly aware of the weight that settled on his person, limbs growing heavy as he struggled to move, the air around him gaining the texture of tar and halting his movement entirely.

"I see that I was expected" Sesshomaru reprimanded himself for being caught with ease, but allowed it for the time being. This was just what was needed to end his search for Kagome.

Tsubaki smirked as her pet slid up her back to settle once again on her shoulders. She studied the subdued youkai before her, letting the binds she used to carry the girl without having to touch the vile creature settle her onto the ground in plain sight. The priestess wasn't masking her scent any longer, letting the demon know who was the one that was to cause the girl's undoing.

Sesshomaru's beast reacted instantaneously to the sight of abhorrent gashes on Kagome, thrashing about wildly, wishing to be released as his prudent self hissed at it to submit. A brief internal battle ensued, ending when the inu grunted and willed his feral self to be still. Kagome, even in her current state was in no danger from the woman, who clearly wanted to preserve the girl enough for her life not to slip away. The youkai Lord stilled, contemplating his next move, knowing that rash actions would likely cause more problems.

Tsubaki watched the demon's emotions flicker, if briefly, in the deep amber of his eyes. Never before she saw beauty and strength so well combined and complimenting one another as in this creature before her. Shame that he was just that, a foul creature, a savage _beast_.

"Why hold it in, demon?" she let her finger slide down the blunt side of the enchanted dagger, letting the scent of the girl's blood taunt him further. "You wish to see my blood on your claws, do you not?"

"Hm." Sesshomaru arched a brow at her implications. Did she really believe him to be that foolish as to fall for her poorly concealed trickery?

Tsubaki took his silence as an affirmative and let another dazzling smile that didn't reach her eyes grace her treacherously innocent features. "Exactly the level of eloquence I expected from a _youkai_.."

The miko toyed with the blade, twirling it betwixt her bony fingers. She dared not kill the girl, knowing well her fate in that instance. However, the agreement did not specify that the child was to be unmarred or in good health when she was collected and Tsubaki was not one not to take an advantage of loopholes.

"Now, demon, _you_ will watch as the one you care for so much suffers for your sins."

Sesshomaru thrashed against the binds as her shrill laughter filled the air. The foul woman pulled Kagome up by her long raven locks, exposing the smooth surface of her neck as the child's head tilted sideward's. Tsubaki hissed, feeling her reiki being challenged by the inuyoukai's dominant youki, but did not falter. She could feel it distinctly now, another presence nearby, heading in their direction.

'Finally. I will not last much longer.'

It would appear that someone came to collect the child.

Sora moved languidly as he was guided towards the splashing waters, his spirit led by the call of aether energies that were always present and yet could only be sensed by the select few. Attuning oneself to it was a fine art that required years of relentless practise, talent and high degree of concentration; all of which he possessed. The girl was nearby; he could sense the swirls of quintessential energy as they reflected of the still, barely breathing child. Sora frowned in distaste at the way the miko treated such a prised possession, it had better be out of ignorance.

'She will learn her place. I will see to that.'

As he came upon the three, Tsubaki was about to cut across the soft surface of Kagome's cheek, spitting venom at the inuyoukai that was about to break the weakening binds that held him. Whether she was foolish or self assured Sora knew not, but one thing was certain, the woman was mad, for the energies that licked hungrily at the sides of others stayed clear of the unstable priestess. She raised her head and hissed lowly, mumbling something incoherent, inclining her head towards the unconscious girl. Sora nodded and in an instance was by her side, his movements barely noticed by Tsubaki's human eyes. She gasped as he lifted the girl away, cradling her gently in his arms.

Tsubaki frowned as she finally took in the features of the youkai. Her breath caught as his eyes rested upon hers.

"You.. you bear no mark!" she squealed, her serpent hissed at the stranger as he sensed her distress, revealing his fangs dripping with deadly poison. "Who sent you?"

Sora kept looking into the depths of her orbs, pulling on the stings that only he and his kind recognised. He hated to do this, even to one as vile as she, but what choice did he have?

"You are upset, priestess" he leaned towards her, making Tsubaki flinch and drop to the ground as she tried to scramble away, not even bothering to defend herself. He paid no attention to her pleas.

"Let me soothe your pain, miko."

He freed one arm, balancing Kagome's light body in order to reach out to the woman in front of him, brushing miko's tremulous hands away when she put them up, a feeble final attempts at defence. Tsubaki whimpered, feeling her control slip. She was unable to resists. The dark miko locked eyes with Sora, feeling herself become numb and indifferent to all. With a loud hiss, her snake slid of her limp shoulders to fall onto the ground, slithering away from the one that was no longer its mistress.

Sesshomaru watched in both fascination and disgust as the demon took in a smoky substance which was barely visible even with his heightened senses. Had he not known where to look, he would have missed the way shimmering, dark tendrils weaved their way out of the miko's gradually dulling eyes to sink into the odd youkai's. The grey eyed man drew in a sharp breath and fell to his knees, his handsome face contorted as if in pain. Tsubaki stilled.

"It must be hard to absorb one as vile as she, void youkai."

Sora nodded, still fighting the aftershocks as he lowered Kagome gently to the ground, feeling unable to hold her as his being fought with that of Tsubaki's, forcing the waning soul into submission.

"It is far easier to imprison one so foul within an object. To take a soul into one's being is a gamble" the void demon muttered quietly, sure that the inu heard all. Sora stood and kicked one of the binding stones, breaking the intricately woven spell. Sesshomaru flexed his taloned fingers, movement no longer being strenuous.

"Hm."

The inuyoukai looked at the void demon with barely concealed curiosity, contemplating whether granting him trust was something this Sesshomaru could allow. As if understanding the predicament, Sora spoke.

"Both I and my daughter live to serve the West."

Sesshomaru nodded, not sensing a lie, now understanding why the man was watching Kagome so intently when he collected his wispy daughter from school. Looking upon the deathly pale form of the foolish woman, the inu was once again thankful for his father's ability to make allies in most unexpected places. Picking Kagome up tenderly, he waited for the youkai to raise himself. They walked together in silence, neither willing to converse as yet.

Sesshomaru smoothed the cool sheets gingerly over Kagome, feeling something in his chest tighten at the sight of her in the vast bed.

'So... minute.'

Kagome was yet to wake. Taking advantage of her unconsciousness, Sesshomaru pulled her small form close to himself, gripping her as tightly as her frail body would allow him, burying into her unruly raven locks, letting his fingers caress them absentmindedly. Such a display was for sure not befitting for one of his stature, but for once he cared not.

'I could have lost her' he thought as the soft sheets slid away to reveal the abhorrent damage that was done to her body, the bright pink pyjamas making the marks look garish, her lack of strength preventing the wounds from healing at a feasible rate.

He could not deny any longer that _this_ had grown past mere attachment or innate urge to protect the ones in his care. Just envisioning her, eyes dull and blood seeping slowly to taint her clothes and colour the dust beneath her limp body, made his beast howl in almost physical pain. They averted her demise on this occasion, but how long would it be before the unknown foe would strike again? The miko bitch clearly knew little of the one who wished his child harm and even if she did, she was far too gone in her state to reveal the truth. How could he protect her against something of which existence and power he had no knowledge?

Tightening his hold, the proud demon drew in a breath, the serenity of her scent setting his mind at relative ease but not quite lifting the sense of foreboding that alerted his being to further danger. He could not help the anger that welled up inside him; anger at her for being foolish enough to fall for in the trap weaved by the priestess, anger at himself for not being there in time to protect her and most of all, anger at his father for bringing Kagome into their life in the first place. Never before Sesshomaru felt so torn when faced with his emotions for any being. He wanted her gone and yet dreaded a life without even a fleeting presence of the child that he grew to care for. The little onna had somehow managed to worm her way into his heart, an accomplishment that many attempted and failed.

Decisions had to be made and soon, he realised, feeling his mind settle with each breath he drew, weary of how quickly he found comfort in her mere presence. It appears that he misjudged the degree of this new weakness of his, which was becoming only more with time.

'Forgive me, Kagome. But I cannot allow it any longer.'

**I really did enjoy writing this chapter; writing really does take one's mind away from petty and huge problems alike. I would like to thank all who spared the time to read this story so far, I never thought that so many will and I am grateful. :) **

**Anyhow... hope that you liked the Kagome-child part of the story which sadly ends next chapter. I thought about ending it here, but then there would be a few things left hanging which is not ideal. **

**There might be a few flashbacks but apart from that I am moving on. This doesn't mean, however, that the story itself is complete! Read on to witness Kags enter one of the most troublesome and yet gratifying periods of her life – teenagerhood. Boys, hormones, first love and first everything really ^^ **


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The man paused, observing breathing and yet lifeless Tsubaki. It appeared as if she was sitting like so for some time, the drool that seeped out of her mouth and onto her somewhat damp skirt being an indication of that. How pathetic and yet expected. He sighed in aggravation and wondered why was it that his master always chose such foolish ones for tasks of such importance. Perhaps, it was because they were easy to manipulate and... disposable.

His thin lips curved into a malicious grin, hand sliding to cup her chin as he settled next to the priestess' unresponsive form.

"You will be of great use for us still, miko. Even in your death."

With that, their bodies became one, as the vile creature absorbed the empty shell that was Tsubaki.

"I see she is somewhat neglecting her studies with you lately" Taisho-sama observed as another loud yelp penetrated the air of the gardens, followed by delighted laughter.

"She appears to have taken to Kaede's 'target practise', father. I see no need in discouraging her" Sesshomaru retorted calmly, sipping some more tea with an air of indifference. He did not miss the poorly concealed rebuke but chose not to acknowledge it, lest it would lead to further questions. It was blatantly obvious that he was not eager at all to continue with her studies, claiming that it was now time for Inuyasha to take on part of that responsibility. Kagome did not take well to it at first, the half-demon being nowhere as gentle and protective a tutor as he was a brother. However, after several months, she ceased to ask questions and stopped pestering Sesshomaru. Much to his relief, clearly.

"Hm." Taisho did not miss the way his son's grip hardened around the cup, feeling sorry for the fine yet frail piece of china. "As glad as I am that she is back to training her reiki, should Jaken really be exploited in such a manner?" As if on cue, a hissing sound was heard as the toad demon rushed past, trying to escape the eager menace that was hot on his trail.

Just as the lesser demon rounded the corner, Kagome emerged from behind the bushes, hair wild and claws slightly longer than usual. She appeared as if she was rather enjoying the hunt indeed. Upon failing to see or sense her prey, the girl emitted a disappointed growl and released the sphere of pure light into the nearby tree, dealing it no damage but venting her frustrations. As she paused and collected herself, Kagome's features were once again under control, the gold of her eyes dulling and darkening, hair becoming coarser and unrulier as she assumed her human visage. It was only wise to keep it up at all times, lest she was caught off guard.

She looked up to see the attentions of two inu fully focused on her, making Kagome smile sheepishly.

"Are you going to let him get away?" Taisho-sama enquired nonchalantly, admiring the brilliant way she flushed, even if she was unrepentant.

'So much inu in her, even if she does take after her mother in looks.'

Corners of her mouth twitching, Kagome fought back a proud grin, clearly having some trick up her sleeve which she did not wish to reveal yet. Jaken had youkai hearing too, after all.

A loud squeal was heard and the said demon got propellered into sight, Kanna following from her secret hideout. The plan was simple really, lure the demon in and then corner him.

"I prefer strategy over brute force." Kagome said, trying not to look as smug as she felt. She allied herself with another and thus was victorious.

Suddenly, she felt her happiness dissolve as she remembered the same way she and her mother would catch her dad, ganging up on him until all routes of possible escape were cut off. The memory was supplied by her traitorous mind far too suddenly, making her feel very exposed and vulnerable despite her mighty protectors.

'I miss them so much..'

Kagome harboured no illusions now, if her parents did not come for her after all this time, it meant that they never will. At first, she resented them, sitting near her bedroom window every single day for a year, waiting. The she started to loathe herself and her nature, not fully understanding why she was taken away but knowing that it had much to do with what she is. Whatever that is. She kept her feelings well concealed, not wanting to trouble the ones around her as she grew fond of them almost immediately, innately feeling that the aloof demons were capable of loving her in their own way. Alas, no matter how hard she tried, there was one she was unable to keep her sadness from. During one of their lessons four years ago, Sesshomaru scrutinised her thoroughly, before making his irritation at her state shown.

"Girl, this Sesshomaru does not appreciate your scent being marred with your depression. Cease it immediately."

When she did not respond, the proud demon sighed in exasperation and sat across from her, staring intently into the depths of her eyes, clearly not having much experience of dealing with children and this unsure how to proceed. Simply commanding her to stop, as he would have done with almost any other, failed to work. Perhaps a change of tactic was in order.

"This Sesshomaru will show you something, miko. Something that he hadn't showed any being for over two hundred years. After that you will stop this foolishness and be happy. Do you understand?"

She nodded in concurrence, his whole demeanour not allowing her to do anything short of agreeing with him.

Muttering something mutely, Sesshomaru let his long slender fingers slide down the contours of his face, as if he was brushing away at multiple specks of dust. She gasped and moved closer, not daring to breathe as faint lines of crimson markings emerged gradually, building up in their intensity as his digits slid across them.

"It is you" she whispered as realisation struck "the pretty prince from the painting."

"Girl" he almost growled in response, nonetheless pleased that her sadness lifted to be replaced with intense delight as she gazed upon his youkai self in awe "this Sesshomaru is not _pretty_."

And from that day on, she tried very hard to keep her promise, keeping her worries buried deep within until they haunted her no more. For that, she was eternally grateful to him.

Hearing Jaken implore to his masters to rid the house of the two pests that insisted on torturing him so, Kagome snapped back to reality, grinning anew as she clicked her fingers, sending a slither of her powers to zap him on his protruding exterior. Jumping into the air as if he was kicked, Jaken said a few unmentionables and scurried away, grumbling about the good 'ol days when humans were afraid of even uttering his name.

'As if' she giggled and motioned for Kanna to follow her into the house. The wispy grey-eyed girl followed without hesitation, always shadowing the half-human girl's steps. Kanna let her eyes slant in Kagome's direction, having picked up on the rapid change of moods and yet unable to decipher the cause. Being a void youkai, emotions were quite foreign to her and thus she found herself endlessly fascinated with humans and their ability to _feel_. She was too young and inexperienced for her element to be able to luxuriate in things that most viewed as a mundane commodity.

Kanna had to admit that if she had the ability, she would have been almost envious at first, watching Kagome at school, seeing the way everyone fell victims to her charms one by one, musing how she managed to make her constant mood swings so... endearing almost.

It wasn't true of all humans too. Many were simply annoying; the uninhabited energies that guided Kanna refusing to flow near such beings as they mainly displayed greed and jealousy. Kagome, however, was different. This was a girl of great love and what was most peculiar; she was willing to share it with anyone who would let her.

'Fascinating' she thought, noting that the spectrum of feelings she could experience expanded much more in the past months than in decades, knowing well who influenced her in such manner.

Kagome paused as she made her way up the stairs to stop at the portrait of the beautiful youkai she admired so much.

'Longing.. But what for?' Kanna frowned, seeing the appeal of the painting, but not understanding why it would arise such feelings.

Kagome looked at her silent friend and smiled, feeling the need to explain herself even if she did not feel like it.

"This is Sesshomaru-sama without the glamour."

The artist had captured his personality and looks well, making her heart skip a beat at the way his amber eyes seemed to follow her movement. Recently she found herself returning to it more and more, with the real Sesshomaru being busy all the time and thus unable to spend much time with her. Kagome knew that something was amiss, for he would not near abandon her as he had if there wasn't something wrong. It was as if he reverted to the cool and uncaring youkai he was when she first met him, five years ago. And yet, Kagome thought as she felt her heart lift, she knew that no matter what, he would be there to protect and love her once he dealt with whatever it was that ailed him. In this household, one quickly became aware of patience being a virtue.

'I will wait for him.'

**Kagome is just the sweetest, bravest thing ever! I hope that I captured it. **

**To the readers that reviewed, thank you muchly! It makes me feel all warm and happy.**

**I wrote the next chapter ages before this one but was having a wee bit of trouble deciding how to wrap up the 'childhood' part of the story. In the end, realised that simplicity is best. Oh and gave Kanna a bit of a voice. I always liked her, although now quite as much as Sango ^^ **


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other characters nor am I planning to make money out of this story.

Chapter 19

Inuyasha hit his hapless alarm clock as it jolted awake once again, making the fuming half demon wake in return. It was six thirty already, meaning that he had about thirty seconds before someone, namely Kagome-the-only-morning-person-he-ever-met, was about to barge into the room, claiming that they were going to be late for school and that she wasn't the type who tolerated sloths in her house.

"_Her_ house my ass" he grunted stifling a yawn, pulling the duvet up higher to cover his face but leaving his feet completely exposed, not knowing, of course, that this of all things would lead to his demise.

Kagome tiptoed into the room, limiting her movements to a minimum, aware of any noise that she was making. The luck was on her side as the lazy adoptive brother of hers was somewhere between worlds and was yet to notice her presence. Not that he would have sensed her either way, seeing that after all the grueling training she was being put through the teen learnt to be light on her feet and the charm embedded into her watch was keeping majority of her scents at bay, especially those that would serve to define her species as part youkai. It was given to her by Taisho-sama and proved to be very useful indeed, with her having to concentrate on keeping up her glamour at all times being frustrating enough. With the spell's help, she appeared to be a normal human, not remarkable in any way which was exactly what she sought.

Kagome squinted as a strand of bright light obstructed her vision momentarily, making her kneel and finally notice the lightly clawed feet sticking out beneath the expanse of covers on Inuyasha's bed. Her smile grew wider. Truly she did not expect for this to be so easy. It was almost insulting!

With a cry so mighty that the warriors of the past would be swollen with pride, the amber-eyed girl launched herself onto the unsuspecting male and started tickling his feet ferociously. The reaction was better than anything she could have imagined as Inuyasha emitted the highest pitched screech possible, trying to pull away and eventually was thrown off the bed in a very undignified manner. Unfortunately for the victor, he did not go down without a fight, pulling the duvet and dragging Kagome with him in the process. She collapsed into a fit of giggles as his angry sleepy face topped off with a brilliant mess of tangled silver hair finally emerged. If looks could kill she would believe herself in a deep coma.

Inuyasha couldn't believe the nerve of the wench. What exactly did he do in his past life to be stuck with Sesshomaru and _her_? Deciding to think about a way to make it up to the Kamis later, the inu grabbed the squealing girl by her waist, ignoring her ear-splitting wails as much as he could, and wrestled Kagome into the hold of the sheets, making his own way out and leaving her to struggle in a heap.

'Serves her right for messing up my hair.' He pulled a clawed hand through a few strands, wincing at the knots. These will take ages to sort out.

"Inuyasha!" he heard a muffled cry, smirking at Kagome who was shooting him an angry glare whilst blowing a strand of raven hair out of her flushed face. "You come back here you baka or.."

"Or what? Keh. Not much you can do is there?" he said before marching out of his room, his mood no longer sour as he thought about a seething Kagome trying to tangle her way out herself.

Half an hour later and she still wasn't speaking to him. Not that it mattered of course. In fact, it was better, the inu decided as he helped himself to some juice. Finally a bit of peace and quiet around the house without the constant babbling about school and.. why was she still _quiet_! Inuyasha stopped devouring his meal and glanced at the young girl sitting next to him, eating her cornflakes, seemingly in peace with the surroundings if her serene face was anything to go by. He knew better than to fall for this act though, for he knew that look for what it was and it meant nothing good for him.

Ten minutes and three sandwiches later for him, half-full Inuyasha could feel his eye start twitching slightly as tension got the better of the inu. If before her silence was unnerving, now it was damn right ominous. He could only interpret it in one way, she was thinking of a way to get him back for what he's done earlier.

'Damn it, should have just helped her out!' he thought, stealing another furtive glance in her direction to see that she was already finished with her food. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his mane as she moved her chair away only to walk over to the sink and wash her bowl, checking her reflection in the window and straightening her shirt out with a free hand.

In silence.

Before, _silently_, leaving the kitchen whilst clearly ignoring him. And leaving him? That's right, in _silence_.

Inuyasha finally had enough, wolfing down the remains of what was left on the plate, the troubled male followed, knocking Jaken of his feet in the process.

Kagome was putting on her new shiny shoes as he grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around to face him. The startled girl eeped but was otherwise unfazed by such familiar treatment, her adoptive brother not exactly possessing a gentle touch or being the one for improvisation when it came to handling her.

"Kagome, I am.. sorry for this morning" he said, his voice far too solemn for the occasion but for sure showing that he meant it. As the bewildered girl was about to open her mouth for a reply, Inuyasha stopped her by pulling her form to his into a tight hug.

Her lips slightly parted, Kagome nodded before finally hugging back, making him sigh in contentment now that he knew that she wasn't angry with him anymore.

As she withdrew, Kagome smiled uncertainly, rubbing her arm in an attempt to avoid the slight yet imminent bruise.

"Um.. sure Inuyasha. Its not your fault that you eat all the bread in the house anyways, I suppose I should just remember to buy more next time..."

His eyes widened slightly as understanding dawned on him. She had no bloody idea what he was apologizing for! Which means, that all this time she wasn't thinking about their fight but about _bread_! And she called _him_ a glutton!

"Women" he muttered under his breath along with a few choice words, retreating upstairs for his things.

So here we are! My first Kag-teen chapter. Nothing major at this point, I am taking my time to get into it. Hope you enjoyed it!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

*Wipes sweat of brow* Busy week! Writing fanfic really did keep me distracted, which is just what I needed with all the pressure at work/exams/expo etc. Thus special thanks to all my wonderful readers that make me want to carry on with the story and thus not go insane!

Sesshomaru drove them to school today, which was a bit better than Jaken as the later would never hold back from making comments about her or Inuyasha's origins. Seshomaru's complete lack of conversation was a vast improvement in comparison, even if it did leave the other two feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Kagome blew her unruly bangs out of her eyes, taking the delicate yet understated watch off so it was easier to fiddle with whilst watching her nails grow into delicate points, her hair immediately behaving itself and not annoying the half miko any longer. Absentmindedly, she watched as light flickered off the smooth glass of the watch and danced around the car. Sesshomaru growled lightly, making Kagome stop her little game. She did hope to get a reaction out of him, but it did not seem to work the way she wished it would. Kagome leaned back against the smooth leather seat, wishing for an umpienth time that she knew what was it exactly that pushed Sesshomaru away from her.

She could not recall doing anything to anger him, but over the last few years it was becoming painfully obvious that the reticent demon was trying to limit their contact to a minimum, with Sesshomaru being even more aloof, seeming to avoid being in her presence as much as he could. But then again, he didn't spend much time with anyone as far as she could recall, so perhaps she was just reading into it too much.

Kagome straightened out her skirt as it rode up slightly, revealing too much of her legs for her liking, thinking over the task that was due it today. She was rather proud that she was allowed to skip grades and was now in the same class as Inuyasha, as unlike her he had to be put back a grade due to his bad results. It wasn't for his lack of knowledge, rather for the excess of laziness. The idea was that she was to be a good influence on him and thus help him improve in his studies. She snorted humourlessly at that, as if he'd listen to her.

At first Inuyasha was quick to express his displeasure but soon understood that this meant that he had someone who's work he could copy under the pretence that relatives existed to help each other out, even if they weren't related by blood. She sighed as she thought about her own parents. She hasn't seen or heard from them ever since the day she became a Takahashi and wondered what became of them. Kagome knew for a fact that they moved house, as once she couldn't resist and came running to her old home, only to find it long empty, whoever was there last not even bothering to lock the door. Her fingers traced the outline of the medallion that hung around her neck.

'I will find them one day. I swear to that.'

Kagome felt the car come to a halt and opened her golden eyes to see Sesshomaru's gaze on her form.

'Oops, I forgot.' Slipping the watch that she fiddled with throughout the ride back on, the teen concealed her scent quickly, locking the youki within her securely. Seeing displeasure that lingered briefly on his handsome face made Kagome cringe. Did he think her weak for not being able to obscure her scent as well as features? He wouldn't need any aid for sure.

It felt odd that Sesshomaru too was coming into school today. Clearly he was well past the age to attend, but due to youkai's manner of aging they could attend at any time to update their knowledge of certain subjects. The inu wasn't exactly thrilled about it, being harassed by a group of minors not being his thing at all, but knowledge was something he valued greatly. Thus he decided to endure the inconveniences of high school.

Sesshomaru looked to be in his early twenties, but she knew that this image was false, for he was well over 500 years old, if Jaken was to be trusted. It took her a while to wrestle this information out of the frog-like retainer, as he seemed think her unworthy of possessing such knowledge and yet wanted to show off how superior his understanding of his Sesshomaru-sama was to hers and that of Inuyasha.

'I wonder', she thought as Sesshomaru turned away to fix the shimmering silk of his hair into a loose braid 'what was it that he was thinking about?'

Moments before, the intensity in his golden eyes was such that she dared not break the eye contact until he allowed her to do so. Whatever it was that the heir to the West was thinking, she doubted that it was complimentary. Kagome felt herself being pushed slightly as Inuyasha brought his own bag upon his shoulder, before quickly making his way out of the car.

"Kagome!"

She heard her name being called out by a group of giggling teenage girls. They were all fifteen and were clearly proud to be standing in the company of older boys. With Kagome being bunked up to a higher grade, they finally had an excuse to chat the guys up, some of them already eyeing up the gorgeous males that were walking behind her, making Sesshomaru rethink his decision of coming to school. It was all father's idea, clearly, for there was yet another incipient rumour about a priestess with youki strength that could encourage unwanted attention towards Kagome.

Sesshomaru cringed at the piercing squeals and ear-splitting laughter that invaded his senses, cursing Inuyasha for once again failing at fulfilling his task of protecting her adequately. If it wasn't for the stupid half-breed, he could be back at the office now instead of babysitting a teenager.

'At least', he thought as a teacher in a skirt which was not befitting at all for the position she assumed sauntered past him 'there is some form of entertainment for this Sesshomaru in this establishment.'

Computer is not letting me post the next chapter T.T Might delay the next post.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Kagome groaned as she distinguished some guys from the others, two of them being the most annoying: Kouga and Hojo. Both hung out with her friends a lot recently and she really couldn't understand why they chose to do so, they didn't seem to notice her much before she moved grades. She shrugged that thought off, attributing it to the fact that one of them most likely fancied one of her numerous friends. Eri was quite pretty and so was Uki. In fact all of them were, making Kagome feel like the ugly duckling at times.

Her skill with the glamour was becoming better as she adjusted it, meaning that no one albeit a few youkai that were close to her had any idea what her features were really like anymore, making her wonder if her own visage would be received differently. In either case, she didn't let the spell down much even with the Takahashis anymore, feeling that she must practise as much as possible.

She shook her head, forcing the silly hormone-spawned thoughts away. After all, there were many things which were far more important to her at this point.

'Like staying alive' the prudent part of her mind was quick to remind her. Initially, she was almost amused at some of the attacks, with the ones that wished to wield her powers being hardly powerful at their best. After a few years, however, her amusement was replaced with irritation.

'I mean there is only so many times a girl can stand being possessed, kidnapped, threatened, thrown about or being near killed.'

With such a hectic 'schedule', it was a wonder she did as well in her studies as she did at all!

As Kagome approached, Hojo smiled and waved whilst Kouga grinned cockily, his eyes roaming over her form, making heat rise to her cheeks and tinge them a brilliant scarlet. Sure it was somewhat flattering and many would have welcomed such scrutiny, but there was something about Kouga that put her off. However, no matter how many times she turned the wolf demon down, he did not seem discouraged but in fact seemed to exult in each refusal. His take on it was as follows – if a girl says no, she really wants you to carry on. The joys of twisted male logic.

"Hi Kagome! I heard that you won a Literature award. Is that right?" Hojo said, whilst somehow managing to beam at her simultaneously. Eri and Uki were immediately at her sides in an annoying display of loyalty, prodding Kagome ever so discreetly with their elbows to force her into replying.

Kagome slapped their hands away, a false cheerful smile pulling on the corners of her mouth. "Hai Hojo-kun. It's nothing great."

He nodded and continued to stare at her, obviously waiting for the Kagome to speak more. Sensing a rival, Kouga cut of the blond girl who was fruitlessly trying to get him to continue their conversation, choosing to make his way to Kagome's side. The cornered raven haired girl shifted from foot to foot, averting her eyes from both males. She knew that _this_, chatting to boys and going out with them, was the normal teenage thing to do but somehow she really could not be bothered with it.

Finally the blessed sound of the bell was heard.

'Saved by the bell. What a cliché' she thought before following the rest to the class, not failing to notice the way the two males hovered closely behind her, arguing in hushed tones.

'I wonder where Kanna is?'

It was unusual for her not to turn up at school, with youkai having immunity against pretty much any disease known and thus not really having an excuse not to attend. Kanna was not required to start school unless she wished to do so, as youaki's lifespan came with the luxury of doing everything at the pace one was comfortable with, meaning that some demons did not even start any form of secondary or higher education until they were several centuries old. In Kanna's case, however, she was both to train and protect Kagome and thus the youkai chose to stay as close to her friend as possible, which made her absence even more of an oddity. As much as Kagome appreciated her other friends, the attachment that she felt with Kanna simply wasn't there. She could never reveal her true self in their presence nor did she wish to do so, making her feel both guilty and estranged.

With a gust of air, the grey eyed girl was at Kagome's side, making her smile warmly and others, especially the males around the brunette, cringe. Kouga couldn't help a low growl as he saw the wispy girl approach _his_ woman. Sure, she was no threat but there was something about the youkai which triggered an innate feeling of foreboding. That, compound with the fact that the girl did not let anyone within an arm's length to Kagome, made her even more annoying than that step brother of hers. At least a good beating up was all that was needed to get rid of the mutt. With Kanna, he was not sure if any trick would work, her reticent and discreet manner not giving away any of her emotions when it came to others and yet it was evident that she did not care for any of them apart from Kagome and thus was willing to protect her no matter what.

Kouga felt his mood elevate as he thought of _his_ Kagome. She seemed to draw everyone towards her effortlessly, her kindness and gentleness setting her apart from others. This, together with her strength and beauty made the stunning brunette girl the perfect woman. It did not matter if she did not return his feelings... yet.

'You are my woman, Kagome. You will accept it soon enough.'

**Wow, two chapters in one day! My personal record ^^ Hope these aren't a bit slow development-wise, it will pick up later and for now I am taking my time in introducing the characters and their relationships with one another. **

**I know that this is up to me in the end but I do wonder, will I be hated if Kags will have a relationship not with Sesshomaru at this point? He and she together will simply not work at the time being as neither reached the condition yet, thought they are moving in the right direction. However, Kagome being a red-blooded female, surely she may wish for a boyfriend.. *sigh* Young teens and their hormones. Giving me headaches and writer's blocks. **


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

With a shuffle from the crisp folds of her skirt, Kagome plopped down at her assigned seat, next to Inuyasha, the hanyou still feigning annoyance as he turned away to get his books out. Kagome raised her eyes to heavens and exhaled sharply, deciding not to deal with his 'male moods' just yet. At times like these she really did wish that she had the chance to choose her seat but alas, the only available one in the whole class was next to the annoying brother of hers.

She suspected that this was no coincidence. Clearly the idea was that her influence would do him good and encourage the male to do better in his studies or something of that sort. As it was, it was the other way around as Inuyasha attempted to constantly distract her in one way or another, clearly bored with the lessons. Even now, she could see his ears twitch, a sure sign of him wishing to speak.

Although she was meant to be the studious one, Kagome really didn't blame him for not paying attention. If it wasn't for the fact that she wanted to keep up with the rest of the class, she would gladly give in to the urge and daydream about.. She stopped herself then. Now was neither the time nor the place for that.

Kagome giggled at Inuyasha, who cursed mildly, the heavy volume he inadvertently elbowed landing on his foot. As the teacher neared the classroom, the boy was prepared, believing that by putting up a defence of books on the desk he would make it less obvious that he was snoozing.

Chairs scraping in near perfect synchrony, everyone but Inuyasha rose as Mr. Myoga, the short balding man who taught them Science and Mathematics, came into the room. Without as much as a glance, the man gestured for the class to be seated as he put down the books that appeared to be much too heavy for his frail frame, he started to write the assignment on the board. Kagome flipped her copybook open and jotted down the details, nudging a grumbling Inuyasha to do the same. They were to conduct an experiment which involved polymeres and observe the consequences of mixing several substances.

'Sounds easy enough' Kagome thought as she stood up to gather the equipment they needed, seeing as the boy next to her wasn't about to do anything at all to help her out in the matter.

Thirty minutes later Kagome gave up her struggles with the experiment, completely confused as to why it wasn't working. The proportions were correct and so was her process. She checked with the book after each step and_ still_ she wasn't getting the pretty clear bouncy balls that the rest of the class was proudly displaying to the teacher.

She sighed and let her head fall sharply to rest on the smooth surface of her desk, hair settling to cover most of her face as she winced both at the impact and at the nagging feeling of shame at not being able to conduct such an easy experiment.

'Maybe Science just isn't my thing'.

Kagome bristled, feeling a malevolent aura brush past her briefly, shuddering at the lingering yet disgusting feeling it gave her. It was as if for a moment something was testing her defences, sizing up how much she needs to be pushed before breaking. Kagome slid tremulous palms under her forehead, taking a few deep calming breaths.

'It was just a feeling, that's all. Better not think too much into it.'

Rebuking herself thus, Kagome tilted her face slightly to clear her vision, deciding to check once again on the experiment. The result, or rather the lack of one was not exactly shocking but nonetheless annoying. Huffing to blow the bangs out of her face, Kagome picked up her pen and scribbled on the notepad. Doodling was better than nothing.

Kagome felt someone approach and turned to face a boy with deep violet eyes, his hair gathered loosely in a short ponytail.

"I see that Inuyasha isn't much help is he?" He smiled in a friendly manner and pointed towards the sleeping boy next to her. "Do you by any chance require my assistance? I am more than willing to aid a beautiful lady in distress".

Kagome smiled and nodded. She did not like to be viewed as a maiden in distress but what choices did she have?

"Um yeah sure.. I got to the point where you have to mix the two".

'What is it with males and long hair around here' she thought, idly observing as he made alterations in her notes, mumbling an explanation here and there. Kagome nodded absentmindedly, trying to make it seem as if she was paying attention.

The boy put the pen down sharply, startling Kagome out of daydreaming before turning to her with a serious look on his face, clasping her hands tenderly in his slightly larger ones.

"My lady, if you ever need my help with anything, and I mean anything at all, I am always at your service."

Mouth agape, Kagome did not know what to say or do. Here she was, in a middle of a Science lesson with a weird boy refusing to let go of her appendages. She was about to reply when a low growl penetrated the air, making heads turn in their direction.

"Kagome, step away from the lech. Now!"

But it was too late, as Miroku's 'cursed' hand somehow managed to free itself and make its way to Kagome's backside, giving it a lingering and firm squeeze. The slap that followed was an innate reaction and yet as she hit the blissfully grinning boy, the sound echoing around the near silent room, no sign of remorse was shown on his handsome face.

"Hentai! Don't you EVER dare to do that again!" To say that she was scandalised and disgusted was an understatement. No one had ever dared to touch her in such blatant manner and lived to tell the tale.

Kagome grit her teeth together as she felt her nails prick her skin slightly, making the brunette sit down in order to conceal the slight change in her features from the rest of the class. She tightened the hold on her aura, cursing the fact that all jewellery had to be removed during experiment, lest it became evident to the demons present that there was a certain amount of youki coming off her, even thought the majority of it was being concealed. Pushing down and forcing her feral side to submit, she finally felt her hair settle as her claws decreased in size until they became her normal trimmed nails.

The rest of the class appeared to have forgotten all about the assignment by this time. The exited teens argued hotly yet quietly, luckily failing to notice the minute yet visible changes in Kagome's visage.

"I bet she will trollop him into the next life."

"Dunno, he is pretty damn fast for a human."

"He's a lech, 'course he is!"

"Oooh look at Inuyasha! Never seen him that red before."

Kagome's anger depleted somewhat as she listened to the rest clearly placing bets on how quickly she or Inuyasha will better the frightened but nonetheless happy monk. Or so he seemed as he rubbed the mark that she left on his cheek, his face set to show something akin to repentance yet the look in his eyes said it all. For him, it was totally worth it.

Two hours later he regretted to have ever tried it. Miroku watched Inuyasha's eyes slowly tint red as the half demon stalked him into a corner making the dark-haired boy gulp, knowing that he better explain himself and fast.

"Now now Inuyasha, surely we can settle this peacefully." His smile faltered as the half demon's claws elongated to deadly points, a menacing snarls breaking the air.

"How was I supposed to know that she's a Takahashi?" he tripped but kept his balance, eyes set on the approaching predator "She was only moved last week! You wouldn't hurt your best friend would you now Inuyasha? Remember the time I dragged you to the doctor's after you fainted from the smell of paint?" As his back hit the wall and the hanoyu was mere meter away, Miroku knew that he only has one chance at making it out alive. Shifting Inuyasha's anger elsewhere. Eyes darting briefly towards the window, he thanked the Kamis for clearly having a less brutal death in mind for him. Throwing his hand out, he near shrieked, his face set into a mask of exaggerated surprise.

"Is that Kouga I see _grabbing_ her leg?"

Inuyasha's ears perked up at that, his eyes clearing somewhat as the half demon allowed himself to look out of the window briefly, least the overly amorous monk was planning to dash for the doors. However, the lech was indeed right, as Kagome was currently on the ground, the mangy wolf cradling her leg with a look that was to appear gentle and yet Inuyasha would bet any money that the thoughts of the youkai would out-do those of the monk at this point.

With a growl, Inuyasha lunged forward, making Miroku duck and squeal in fright. A moment of silence ensued. Feeling completely intact and unharmed, Miroku dared to crack one violet eye open, seeing that his friend was already past him. The irate hanyou exited the gym's changing room slamming the door into the wall, the force making an imprint in its wake. Miroku gulped, finding that he was not quite ready to move yet.

"You coming or what?" he heard Inuyasha's impatient voice, already half way down the corridor. Miroku waited a little longer and finally relaxed enough to breathe, giving himself a mental pat on the back.

'It appears that you and I, oh hand that seeks, will indeed live to grope another day.'

Hearing a string of curses from the field, he paused briefly, to weigh his options.

'Perhaps not _today_ though."


	23. Chapter 23

**Just a little note to say, thanks for reading! I will not give up on this story **** It may take longer for me to update at times, due to increasing workload and stuff, but I still will. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. **

Kagome was sitting on the grass on the verge of tears. Why did she have to be such a klutz? Being embarrassing in the first place, with the group that gathered around her, some claiming to be concerned about her wellbeing the situation was near mortifying.

Sango and Kanna were making it somewhat better though, their presence together with the death glares Sango was casting at Kouga scaring most of the crowd away.

"Can you stand up?" she asked, worry evident in her voice as she offered Kagome a shoulder to lean on.

"Sure." The younger girl said, trying to put as much as she could of her weight on the uninjured leg, Kouga helping her up from the other side. It really was unnecessary to go through all of this, as Kagome could already feel her leg starting to heal on its own, but she knew that she had to go through the motions. Cringing at the slight snap that vibrated through her body as something slid into the place it was meant to be at, she thanked the Kamis for granting her with her father's demon healing.

Furtively sliding his hand around her waist, Kouga brushed his lightly calloused palm against her stomach, making Kagome tense up as she raised her eyes to heavens. Perhaps slapping some sense into him would appear a tad ungrateful but could she deny herself the satisfaction?

'Or' she mused as she felt him tug her closer towards his torso 'perhaps I could let Inuyasha do it?'

"Ya know, it will be much easier if you just let me carry you" the wolf demon said whilst glowering at both Sango and Kanna, challenging them to say otherwise. Sango's scowl didn't falter; the air between the two becoming so thick with tension that immediately most of the group gathered disappeared, not wanting to be there when one of them decided to lay it into any innocent bystander.

Kagome stiffened, once again feeling an evil being's presence nearby, the feeling that it aroused within her deceptively warm rather than chilling and yet this is what worried her most. Tuning out the shouts around her to a drone, the miko closed her eyes in exasperation. There were just too many people and demons around to identify the cause of her fear.

"Kagome?"

Stumbling slightly, she opened her eyes to see her friends pause in their arguing, worry apparent in their eyes.

"I.. I think I will ask Jaken to pick me up."

Feeling Kanna's youki prod her, Kagome raised her eyes to see that the void demon too had felt it. Her movements languid and subtle, she drew a deceitfully small mirror seemingly out of thin air, pretending to check her appearance whilst turning it sideward, causing little bunnies of light jump across the grass. Drawing closer to Kagome, she whispered

"It is gone, but it lingered long enough to leave traces of youki. I will remember it."

One hour later she was still waiting for the imp. Huffing in annoyance, Kagome stuck her tongue out slightly, concentrating on trying to balance a pencil on the tip of her slender finger. The task was not exactly strenuous nor it required great intelligence, but there wasn't much else that she could do to pass the time. Surprisingly enough, it was far more challenging that one would have thought it to be, with the annoying thing managing to slide up or down every time she thought herself victorious.

"You ok Takahashi?"

Kagome gasped, the pencil slipping and cluttering to the ground. The male smirked and picked it up, twirling the pencil around in his fingers before returning it.

"Um.. Thank you." She felt her pulse quicken slightly as their hands met, her cheeks feeling at least twenty degrees hotter than they should be. Frowning as she turned away Kagome gasped as he reached out, brushing her equally dark strands out of the way to put a warm taloned hand onto her forehead. Satisfied with her wellbeing, he cupped her chin, making the hesitant girl raise her eyes.

"I will wait with you."

"S..sure. But, haven't you got class?"

His cheeks dimpled to hint at a devastating smirk, as the male lowered himself to sit beside her on the bench. Kagome shuffled away slightly as his leg brushed hers, not at all comfortable under his intense scrutiny but feeling tiny giddy butterflies flutter pleasantly in her stomach at his close proximity.

"One must prioritise."

Sesshomaru straightened his clothes out in annoyance, not liking the feel of the inferior fabric upon his skin as well as the cut of the uniform. He was yet to regret his decision of coming to this establishment but he could not fathom why they wished for one of his stature to wear this garb. The woman turned out to be more trouble than she was worth too, much to his frustration her insistent babble made her appeal slowly seep away into nothing. Luckily, he did not spend enough time with the wench for him to be placed in the 'potential suitor' category and thus she kept some distance, not forcing him to respond to her non amusing comments.

Sesshomaru grunted as her fingers brushed his skin and looked away from the woman. Her boldness was truly bothersome. Settling his gaze on the scenery to drone out the wench's insistent chatter, he let his eyes scan the surroundings. The school garden was far too dull for his taste and yet the fragrances where pleasant as was the sight of the trees in bloom. Hearing a familiar voice, he paused, golden eyes appraising the scene before him.

Sesshomaru scrutinised the unfamiliar youkai that was sitting beside Kagome, his behaviour never breaching the barrier of what would be considered proper and yet his eyes said otherwise.

'Hm.. This is unacceptable. He must be removed.'

'_But for what purpose?'_ Sesshomaru scoffed at that wayward thought.

'He is a threat.'

Raising his eyes again, Sesshomaru found his gaze challenged by intent piercing blue orbs, making the inuyoukai bare his fangs in a gesture that spoke clearer than any words. _Mine. My pack._

Raising his chin haughtily, the unknown youkai looked back to the blushing girl, who stood as a car pulled up nearby. Bowing and uttering her goodbyes, Kagome stilled as she found her hand cradled in his. The azure eyed male held her gaze, turning her hand to press his lips against the delicate skin. In the next second, Kagome forced her hand away, her steps slightly clumsy as she put her weight onto her crutch. He smirked at the impact of the act, not failing to notice the low and threatening growl that vibrated through the crisp air. If he thought that this would be fun before, now his interested spiked to a complete new level.

**Just realised that it's been ages since I last updated this. Kinda makes me nervous, hope you liked it!**


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm sorry for getting this somewhat mixed up last time. I updated the rough draft instead of the real thing *hangs head in shame*. But hey, I am human, we all make mistakes **

Kagome plopped onto the bed, obsidian tresses fanning out freely around her, amber eyes trained on the ceiling as she pressed her lips against the glinting surface of her medallion, wishing to evoke memories that were slowly slipping away. She knew, of course, that really she shouldn't come here at all, even if it was her parents' house. After their supposed disappearance, she found herself coming here occasionally, hoping, perhaps foolishly, that they may come back.

Turning, she clutched the cool cotton sheet tightly, deciding not to think about it for now. She couldn't lose hope. That would be akin to betrayal. Her body making another twist, Kagome felt herself become airborne, hands swinging wildly as she tried to grab the sheets, dragging the bedding down with her. Blowing a strand of hair out of her face Kagome struggled against the sheets tangled around her limbs.

'Argh! Why do I have to be so... hey, what's this?'

Forcing herself out of the knot, she threw the things away with a grunt, taking several deep breaths. Squinting at a dull shine under the bed she finally saw it, the bright sun's beams sneaking their way down furtively to reflect off the smooth surface. Raising herself slightly, she slid a hand under the bed, letting her powers flow forward, soft specks reflecting off the exterior of the box. Pausing to make sure that it was not a trap, shuddering at the memory of the time she was nearly sealed within one, Kagome brushed her palm against the delicate box, pulling it out.

Brushing strands of hair behind her ears, Kagome smiled at the subtle softness of the lacquered designs, trying to recall whether she saw it elsewhere. Wandering hand stopping briefly, she examined the lock. She was stuffed if it needed some form of key, as she had no wish to break such beautiful piece of art. Luckily, it opened freely, eagerly revealing its contents to her prying eyes.

There were letters.

Fingers lifting the delicate paper with caution, she looked at the dates on them. It appeared that whoever saved these made sure that they were in some form of order. Selecting the one at the front, Kagome unfolded the crisp pages to see that it was addressed to her mother, some dating over 15 years back. A small smile on her face, Kagome dabbed her eyes with her sleeve, her vision blurred. She flipped through the rest, pleased to find that the rest were too for Midoriko. Tears welling up once again, she wiped them with the back of her hand, putting the letter back inside and sliding the box shut. This was neither the time nor the place for an extensive reading session.

Picking the box up, the raven haired teen raised herself from the floor, her mind in a state of an upheaval as her thoughts scattered like ants. Her steps unhurried, she made her way out of her parents' bedroom, shutting the door with a gentle click. Kagome made her way down the corridor tracing the familiar patterns of the wallpaper with her fingers, much like she loved to do all these years back. Collecting herself, the beaming girl took her telephone out of her pocket, dialling the number absentmindedly.

"Sesshomaru, do you mind picking me up?"

Twenty minutes later, Sesshomaru wondered what Kami possessed him to agree to come for the insolent teenager. She was lucky that the residence that they were currently at was only a short driving distance away from where she was, or it would be walking for her. Days worth of walking. Begrudgingly, the proud demon allowed himself to admit that his reason for him rushing to her side was quite simple and it had nothing to do with the ridiculous overly-dramatic pleading tone and pretend sobbing.

He missed her presence.

For years he tried to deny it, avoiding the golden eyed child and then young woman at all cost but it was futile. This, however, did not mean that he will give in to his baser instincts, no matter the appeal of the notion. She will remain ignorant of his attachment to her person. It was better for all of them.

Sliding onto the smooth leather seat, Kagome hugged the box closer to herself, Sesshomaru tilting his head in her direction, observing silently. Taking a deep breath, he found her to be confused, troubled, sad and elated all within the time it took him to draw in her scent. Females, especially this one, continued to amaze him with their ability to feel so much and nothing in particular at the same time. Feeling heat rise to her cheeks at such close scrutiny, Kagome cleared her throat, shifting his attention back to the steering wheel as they drove away, neither willing to break the silence, Sesshomaru's expression so withdrawn that for a moment she truly believed that Inuyasha was right when he said that nothing and no one in this world truly mattered for the heir of the West.

_Dearest Midoriko,_

_Please forgive me for my boldness, but I cannot live another day without. I understand that my attentions are unwarranted, but I beg you to consider me. _

Kagome sighed in pure bliss; she did not know that her father was a closet romantic.

'No wonder mum fell for him, what girl would refuse?'

Lifting herself up to adjust her position, she wondered whether she should be reading this. Sure, these were her parents and not some strangers whose life she was taking a sneaky peak at, but would they want her to see these? Pondering the problem in her mind whilst twirling strands of obsidian hair between her digits, she shrugged her shoulders, feeling no guilt. With no way of finding out, she may as well do as she thought fit.

_Since I saw you, my life has lost its meaning__, for you are not in it. I do not ask for much, just for another meeting. _

This note was rather short in comparison to others but it made her feel giddy in a way a good romantic film with a non cliché plot would, only more. Folding the note carefully before placing it back amidst others, she wondered if her father knew that her mother kept all of these little tokens of his love. She was but a child when she was taken away from her parents, but she could remember very well the things that they taught her, the way they taught her to value love above everything.

**Thank you to those who noted my mix-up. Reviews really do help **

**Read and Review**** please! **


	25. Chapter 25

_My dearest Midoriko, it is truly a torture to see you each day and not to be able to speak to you openly. Why do you continue to deny me? I am not a fool to believe that my feelings will ever be returned. However, this does not mean that I shall stop trying. _

Legs dangling in the air, one of her arms hugging the thick tree branch that she favoured over others, Kagome rubbed her slightly red eyes as she adjusted her position. She liked her quiet reading sessions immensely, the private forest area behind the mansion well protected and secluded enough for her liking. Catching a glimpse of her watch, she folded the letter back into the box.

'Damn, they are going to be here in an hour and I am still in my pyjamas. Time really does fly.'

Kagome has been up on the tree for hours now, devouring the letters hungrily. Her lips curling in mirth she slid the box into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder as she ascended. The tree bark grazing her knees pleasantly, she catalogued all her findings, her brow creasing slightly as she mused over her parents' relationship. From what she understood so far, things didn't go quite as smoothly between them at first, which was not quite what she imagined but nonetheless expected, with her mother's gumption and fiery temper clearly not allowing her to submit to a male for quite a while. As her feet touched the grassy ground, once pristine white socks stained by the broken blades, she remembered one of the entries she read recently. It was strikingly different from others as it seemed rather hectic in tone and ever since, all of the recent letters appeared the carry as much verve and hastiness.

However, the more she read, the more the lingering feeling of doubt grew, for whoever sent Midoriko these letters seemed somehow... foreign to her, not at all like her father. Frowning, let her head fall back against the rough bark, hands running through her obsidian locks as she muttered incredulously:

"Mother... is it possible that your heart never truly belonged to father and if not, than to whom?"

Examining her feelings on the matter, she found that it wasn't anger that she felt. To an extent, she understood. She knew well what it was like to have a heart split between more than one loves.

Hearing her name called, she slid her shoes on furtively, sprinting for her bedroom's window.

"You did _what_!"

Miroku backed away slightly, not at all certain that the crutch that Kagome still used for support could not function as a missile for he knew from experience the faith of those who infuriated Kagome. Voice filled with barely suppressed mirth, Miroku tried to fix his features into something akin to regret.

"Now, now Takahashi, I understand that you may be upset, but that is not reason to..."

"Oh I got a damn good reason, you perverted monk! What in the world possessed you to sign me up for the _kissing booth_?"

He winked at Hojo, the boy blushing profusely at being put on the spot. Clearing his throat but not looking up, he smiled nervously; not at all comfortable with the way Kagome's anger could potentially shift to a new target.

"The choice seemed obvious, next to none protested. As you were absent from school and likely forgotten about the Blossom Festival, we thought that you will not mind.." Hojo trailed off as he noted that Kagome was no longer paying attention, the girl falling face first onto the sofa. Huffing in annoyance, Kagome grumbled obscenities under her breath, the girl's voice lightly muffled by the mouthful of cushion.

Miroku chuckled, not even bothering to feign innocence on the matter, his dark eyes slanting to rest on Inuyasha, the hanoyu whispering something to Sango as the auburn haired girl giggled.

Taking a few deep breaths, Kagome surfaced, her face flushed as she confessed "But.. I haven't even kissed a boy before.."

Inuyasha's ears perked up instantly, his brow furrowed as he seemed to muse over something, a memory surfacing. Scratching his head, he muttered "What about that girl.."

"Inuyasha, shut it!"

Miroku's interest spiking with a new intensity, the perverted boy sighed ruefully wagging an accusatory finger at Kagome. "Oh my Kagome, if only I knew that your preferences ran thus, than I would have given up a long time ago. Unless, of course, I am allowed to watch." Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, he looked at Sango, the older girl seeming to develop a sudden but very profound tick in her brow as he winked.

A well launched cushion landing on his head, Kagome lowered herself back onto the sofa, her nose raised haughtily. "Not that it is anyone's business, but it was for a bet and lasted two seconds."

Miroku nodded with a serious expression that did not reach his eyes. "Of course lady Kagome, whatever you say." the perverted boy said as he thought about the numerous ways to sway his silver haired friend to comment more on the matter.

Well here we are, nother entry! I wish I could update more often, but with three brothers and baby sister constantly jumping on me it can be difficult lol.

Please read and Review!


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